Child of the Lost
by Batfan3
Summary: Ven's past is a blur. A mesh of pain, heartbreak and despair...but what about the other one. What about all those reasons of why? Why does she have magic? Why is she connected to Neverland? And why is the Evil Queen so familiar... Set in the Pan arch of the show and sequel to Lost Girl. Rated T for language and suggestive content.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello my friends!** ** _Loud crashing, swearing and a dead author._** **I know I know it's been a long time but I explained everything in my Author's note so don't kill me. Anyway,** ** _Lost Girl_** **sequel! Wahoo I'm back baby! Please read and enjoy!**

* * *

"Cuckoo! Cuckoo!"

Ven rolled her eyes, dropping down out of the pine tree. "Peter," she greeted the immortal boy. "Nice of you to drop in."

"Have you been practicing?" Peter asked.

She rolled her eyes again. "I completed my training years ago, well, if there was time here," she added as an afterthought. She flinched, inhaling sharply. Peter was looking at her carefully as she looked up. "Three people have arrived," she said. "You found him."

Peter smirked. "Very good. You're becoming more in tune with the island."

She smirked back, stepping closer and poking him in the chest. "I did have a good teacher."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer, landing a kiss on her lips. "I should go, things to do. Come to the camp tonight to meet our special guest," Peter said.

She tugged him back, kissing him again. "Decide," she breathed before shimmering from view.

* * *

"Hullo Felix," Ven greeted, entering the camp.

Felix glanced up, eyes narrowing slightly. "Ven."

"Oh come now, there's not still bad blood between us," she said mockingly, stepping forward.

Felix grunted. "Don't do any magic on me witch."

She laughed lightly, holding up a hand as blue magic sparked between her fingers.

"Oh I wouldn't dream of it dear." She placed her hands on her hips. "So where is this, 'truest believer'?" She asked.

"Who are you?" a voice asked.

She turned to see a young-ish boy with dark brown hair and brown eyes.

"You must be Henry," she said. "My name is Ven." He didn't take her hand. She tilted her head, looking at him. "Hmm. Don't know what Peter sees in you. But then again." She brushed her fingertips against his cheek, than inhaled sharply as images appeared. She raised her chin, dropping her hand. "Oh yes I do. Henry Mills. Grandson of the Charmings and Rumplestiltskin."

"My family will find me," Henry said. "And when they do you'll be sorry."

She laughed. "Oh I sure hope they find you. The Lost Boys aren't much of a match for me."

Henry frowned. "Who are you?"

"Ven. One and only Lost Girl," she said, giving an elaborate bow. "Also, among other things, master of illusion magic." She waved her hand slightly, knowing that Henry would now feel the utmost loyalty to her. She let go and he shook his head.

"What did you do?" he asked, horrified.

"Oh do leave the boy be Ven," Peter said, entering the camp.

"Well he's not resistant of my charms," she said to Peter.

"Who is?" he quipped. She smiled.

"What do you want with me?" Henry asked.

Ven looked at him. "You'll soon find out dear boy." Peter whispered something in her ear, a smirk slowly spread across her face. "How adorable," she said. "I'd best not keep them waiting." In the blink of an eye, she was gone.

"Where is she going?" Henry asked.

Peter Pan tossed the kid an apple. "Not really your concern."

"I don't like apples," Henry said.

Peter frowned. "Who doesn't like apples?"

"It's a family thing."

He shrugged. "Well these aren't for eating. We're going to play a game...I call it target practice."

* * *

"Now be careful of her, she's a right witch," Hook warned as they approached Ven's hideout. It was in the hollow of a tree.

"Why are you so sure she'll help?" Emma asked.

"I'm not sure, but she's helped me once before," Hook said. "Among other things, she has illusion magic. She can make you see or think anything."

Emma blinked. "Well, let's try to resist."

They entered the tree through a door that Hook opened. Inside was a room. A cot lay in the corner, a chair beside a table with bits of herbs and food on it, and a fireplace in the corner, the chimney being the tree trunk.

"So where is she?" Emma asked.

" _She_ , can hear you," a voice sang. They jumped, looking around. " _She_ , can see you."

"You didn't say she was crazy," Emma muttered. Hook looked around.

"She's not."

" _She_ , is right here." And there she was, a black haired teen leaning against the wall, hands in pockets and looking as though she owned the world. Her eyes were mismatched, one blue one brown and she wore a tan shirt underneath a light blue vest.

"Are you Ven?" Snow asked.

The girl smirked. "Of course I am." She straightened. "The real question, is who are you?"

"Stop playing games Ven," Hook said.

She raised an eyebrow. "Captain. It's been a long time. You must be desperate to come to _me_."

"You helped me once, can you help us again?" Hook asked. "Get us into Pan's camp."

"Now why would I do that?" she asked.

"You can't be her, you're so young," Snow said. "No child should be a master magic user."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm older than I looked dearie. Much older. I'm older than you, your father, and your grandfather. Sort of, ye'see, time's a funny thing, especially here."

"What does time have to do with this?" David asked.

"Hmm? Oh, well, time connects all things but I sort of…dropped out of a sync, so to speak," she said.

"Enough of this, will you help us or not?" Hook asked.

She stepped forward. "Perhaps." She frowned curiously. "But answer me one thing, why would I help you…after what you did to Rufio? Hmm?

Hook frowned. "But, y-you're not with Pan."

She smiled. "Oh my dear naive captain, open your eyes." She hummed, obviously toying with them. "Who retrieved Bae in the first place? You didn't see a face. Who set the Jolly Roger on fire, forcing you to seek out my help in the first place? Who began the storm?" She tilted her head pityingly. "Certainly not my dear Peter."

"Enough." Regina waved her hand and Ven slammed against the wall. "You're going to lead us to Pan wether you want to or not." She stuck her hand in Ven's chest, the girl's eyes widened and she gasped.

"Regina!"

But try as she might, Regina couldn't remove her heart.

Ven started laughing. A cruel, smug laugh. "Oh you fools. You think Peter hasn't placed protection on me? How quaint. He sent me here to see you. See, I'm on his side." She tilted her head and Hook drew his sword, attacking David, who barely reacted in time.

"Hook!" David shouted.

"It's not me mate! It's her bloody spell!" Hook shouted.

She laughed again as Regina removed her hand. "Seeds of doubt reap rewards of destruction!" she sang. Regina suddenly froze, eyes focused on the pendant around her neck, then suddenly, Ven was unable to breathe.

"Where did you get that?" Regina ground out.

Ven choked. "Wh-at?" She rasped out.

"That pendant, it doesn't belong to you," Regina snapped. The hold was released and Ven coughed, gasping for breath. Meanwhile Hook was released and they stopped fighting.

Ven got to her feet. "It does actually."

"No. I know, because it's mine." Regina waved her hand and the necklace appeared in it. "Only opened with blood magic." The pendant opened.

Ven had a confused expression. "But…no…no no no." She shook her head, and when she looked up, the usual smirking expression was back. "Have fun locating Pan's camp." She disappeared, the pendant disappearing with her.

* * *

Ven stormed into Pan's camp, stalking right up to him and ignoring the Lost Boys, Felix and Henry.

"Explain. Now."

Pan glanced from her, to the pendant, to the Lost Boys, then to Henry. Then they both disappeared and reappeared in the pixie wood.

"Now," she hissed. "Did you know about Regina?"

"What?" Peter looked confused.

"Regina opened my pendant," she said, holding up said pendant.

"I don't know," Peter said firmly.

She slammed him against the tree, her hands turning to fire. "Tell me now! Tell the truth!"

"I don't know." Peter slowly but firmly removed her hands. "I'm telling you the truth Ven."

She narrowed her eyes at him. Their relationship had been rocky and off and on the past few hundred years. Sometimes they would be perfectly fine (pissing off Felix as well) and others they were hissing and spitting like a pair of feral cats.

"When do you ever tell the truth?" she hissed.

Peter met her gaze steadily. "I tell you the truth more often than not and you know it," he replied.

She looked away. "Fine. But either way, that doesn't change the fact of Regina."

"I hope this doesn't shift your loyalties," he said.

She smirked and traced a finger from his lips to chest. "Of course not darling. I'm not that easy. But you're still going to help me figure it out." Then she shimmered and disappeared.

* * *

"Well that went well," Emma remarked sarcastically. "I thought you said she'd help."

Hook sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I thought she would. She helped me last time I was here. I didn't know she was allied with Pan."

"Let's just not run into her again," David said. "She turned you pretty easy."

Hook looked exasperated. "Well I'm sorry if I can't resist the magic of a two hundred year old mage."

"Everyone calm down, I'm sure there are other ways to get into Pan's camp," Snow said.

"I'm sure you have a spell, right Regina?" Emma asked. "Regina?"

The black-haired woman looked up. "Oh, no. I can't get past Pan's shields, he's too strong."

"Are you alright?" Emma asked in concern.

"You look pale," Snow added.

"I'm fine," Regina snapped. "I just want my son back."

Regina was not fine. She was not fine at all. _Why did that crazy bitch have my medallion? I gave that to…_ She shook her head, trying to clear it. _No way. Hook said that girl is hundreds of years old. No magic has the power of time travel._

"Are you sure you're alright Regina?" Emma asked. "You looked pretty shaken up by that girl's pendant. What was that?"

 _Why is she so nosy?_

"I'm fine," she replied. "And it wasn't so much the pendant as the power it held. Pendants like that hold magic power."

"Are you saying that she has extra magic?" Emma asked, slightly confused.

Regina nodded. "Unfortunately that's what it looks like." The lies rolled off her tongue with ease.

"Is there any way we can get rid of that?" Snow asked. "If she's with Pan, them having extra power is even worse."

 _No duh._

If she wasn't so preoccupied, she'd probably say some scathing remark, but at this point, she just nodded.

"I know. But the only way to get rid of it is to take the pendant, and judging from what we saw, that won't be easy," she said.

"Ven has teleportation and illusion magic," Hook supplied. "She won't be an easy adversary."

"Right, because everyone we've ever fought is 'easy'," David pointed out.

Regina stopped further word play. "Just be careful of her and if we fight try and leave her to me."

They nodded as they continued on. But despite her words, memories, fears and worries continued to cloud her mind all centering on one question... _Who are you Ven?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys I'm back with chapter two! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2:** **Window to the Past**

 **One hundred fifty years earlier…**

"Veeen."

She gave a 'tt'. "Screw off Peter. I'm still mad at you."

"For what?" he laughed. "Winning at The Game?"

She looked away. She always lost The Game. Their hide and seek. He always found her or she could never find him. One time she spent an entire year looking for him. A year real time anyway. Neverland time seemed to pass much faster than real time did.

"Shall we play another game?" he asked. She turned her nose up. "Come now, how about we explore." She still didn't answer. "Come on Ven…mermaids? Have you seen them yet?"

She looked at him from the corner of her eye. He grinned. He knew he had her. But she wasn't going to give in quite _that_ easy.

"I can cast a water spell," he said. "Breath under water and see their kingdom." She still didn't answer. "I'll even take you to meet Princess Ursula, I bet you two will like each other."

She bit her lip. Mermaids were the most mysterious creatures of her knowledge, even more so than dragons.

"Maybe we'll even spot a mer-fae…"

That cinched it.

"When do we go?"

Peter grinned, knowing he'd won (again) but she was too excited to care. "Right now."

True to his word (for once) Peter brought Ven below the ocean, after casting a water-affinity spell of course. It was different to see the ocean from so far below, and to be able to breath in it at that! She'd only ever swam in it for a minute or so at a time, Peter hadn't yet taught her any water spells as she was still working on perfecting her teleportation.

It was breathtaking to behold with colorful coral reefs and immense beds of seaweed of every shape and color. The water was crystal clear, she could see just as well in the water as she could above it.

But the rest of the ocean had nothing on the mer-city of Trilicia.

When the city first came into view she gasped in shock. It was stunning. There were spiraling towers of polished quartz and granite streets that were inlayed with pearls. Gold trimmed the tips of the buildings and the palace…the palace was massive, gorgeous in every way. The spirals were edged with gold and had words engraved in them. Mer swam this way and that, seemingly unaware of the intruders' presence.

"I placed an enchantment on us," Peter said. "To them we look like any other mer."

"How interesting," she remarked, looking down at her legs. The mer saw a tail while she only saw legs.

"Follow me," Peter said, swimming ahead. They swam down and entered into the crowds of mer that swam this way and that.

"Are we going to the palace?" she asked hopefully.

He nodded, smiling genuinely. "I've met Princess Ursula, she's very beautiful and her voice is like no other."

"You've heard her sing?" she asked curiously.

"Yup. No human can resist her allure," he said.

"And you're not really human," she muttered. He glanced at her quizzically.

"I hope you're not to troubled about losing your humanity Ven," he said. "You live in Neverland long enough and you become something entirely different."

She looked away. She had no desire to lose her human side, but then again, having seen the worst of humanity it wouldn't be too terrible.

"Here we are." She looked over Peter's shoulder into the entrance of the palace. The interior was just as stunning as the exterior. The walls were made of soft cream colored coral and gold shells of every shape and size that she couldn't tell if they were painted or not. The ceiling was painted over with a mural depicting a majestic merman with a deep green tail, black hair and stormy grey eyes seated on an enormous throne, to his right was a gorgeous mermaid with long silver hair that hovered around her and eyes that appeared to be like spun gold, her tail was almost blindingly white. The merman had a gold crown on his head with rising peeks inlayed with red diamonds, the mermaid likewise had a tiara of silver inlayed with blue diamonds.

"What's the story behind that?" she asked.

Peter looked up at the mural. "The one on the right is Queen Mira and the left is King Poseidon. Queen Mira is of the Wrayan merfolk, a separate race from the Amphytrites, which is Poseidon's race. The two races were at war for a long time, but the marriage of the two ended the war and now the merfolk have lived in fear for over two hundred years. Ursula is their daughter."

She stared in awe. "Amazing."

"Oh look, there's Princess Ursula," Peter said, nodding towards the floor of the palace.

A green tailed mermaid was swimming towards the doors, her dark hair rippling behind her. She looked mostly like her father, but her eyes were the same brilliant gold as her mother's.

"Ursula!" Peter called, swimming down, Ven following behind closely.

The Princess stopped and looked up. "Oh! Hello Peter."

Peter took Ursula's hand and planted a kiss on the back of it, sending a strange twinge through Ven's heart though she didn't know why.

"What brings the king of Neverland to the Mer Kingdom?" Ursula asked.

"A new resident of Neverland wished to meet you," he replied, taking her hand and pulling her forward.

Ursula nodded. "Oh yes! Rumors have been circulating for a while about the sorceress of Neverland. I'm Ursula, it's a pleasure to meet you."

She shook Ursula's hand. "My name is Ven, and the pleasure is mine."

"Are you two staying long?" Ursula asked.

Peter shook his head. "Just a visit, I was trying to pull Ven from a bad mood."

She rolled her eyes. "He kept beating me at the game we were playing."

Ursula laughed. "I see. Well I'm just about to head to the library if you'd like to come too."

"That would be wonderful," Ven said, though she had no idea how you could have a library under the sea. "So how do you know Ursula?" she asked Peter as they swam on behind said princess.

"I'm known by many as the 'king' of Neverland and to many more as the demon of Neverland. Though I daresay the last part of the is a tad bit more accurate for someone else," Peter replied. She glanced at him, surprised with how easy it was for him to cast such a loose reference to the demon that confined him. "I first met Ursula a few decades ago whilst I was exploring the great expanses of the deep blue sea, she had escaped the castle and was also exploring."

She nodded in understanding. "I see."

"Here we are," Ursula said, pulling open a large, gilded door to reveal coral shelves stacked high with tablets of stone. So that was how they had a library under the ocean.

"Amazing," she murmured in awe. It was at least a hundred feet high and had a circumference of over too hundred feet. "What are the writings of?"

Ursula shrugged. "Many things. The history of the mer, stories, fairy tales, records, you name it, we've got it."

"Incredible. May I read one?" she asked.

Ursula nodded. "Certainly." She plucked a tablet form one of the lower shelves and handed it to Ven. "This is one of my favorite stories, the _Legend of Cryos_."

She eagerly took the tablet in her hands, then frowned in disappointment. It was in a language completely foreign to her. The lettering was flowing and loose, almost like the calligraphy she'd found on various expensive books she'd stolen back in London, but much more fancy.

"I can't read it," she said, embarrassed and upset. Then Peter suddenly plucked the tablet from her hands. "Hey-"

"I'll read it to you," he said. She blinked, shocked. "Don't take it personally, I just like the sound of my own voice," he said, though he didn't meet her eyes.

She raised an eyebrow. "I see. Very well then, read away _King of Neverland._ "

He cleared his throat. " _Once upon a time in the land of Trayga there lived an mer prince named Cryos…_ "

There was no doubt in her mind, Peter had the most beautiful, melodious, perfect story telling voice ever heard in the history of any world. Ven was completely enraptured by the way he artfully told the story of the mer prince and his battle with the Kraken.

Ven had a special place in her heart for books and stories, and had listened in on many story tellings but Peter blew them all out of the water. He added life to the words in a way she hadn't known was possible that she was both disappointed and glad when he was finished. Disappointed because it was over and glad because she was afraid she would fall in love with his voice.

Even once he was done she had no words on her tongue, she was still lost in the lines of the story he wove so artfully.

"That was…beautiful," Ursula said, breaking her from her trance-like state.

"Y-yes it was," she said, cursing the stutter in her voice.

"Thank you thank you," Peter said, bowing. He looked up and winked knowingly at her. She reddened and looked away.

"Ursula!" The sudden call made all three of them start. Ursula swam up.

"Oh dear, that's my father, you should go," she said.

Peter grabbed her hand. "See ya later Ursula!"

"Goodbye! It was lovely meeting you Ven!"

"It was nice to meet you too," she said as Peter pulled her up and out of the window, back into the open sea.

"So shall we return home?" Peter asked.

She nodded, still slightly lost in thought in the aftermath of the story. "Peter?"

"Yes?"

"Is that story real?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, even I'm not that old. I've heard legends of the Kraken though," he replied.

"How interesting," she mused.

Just as they broke the surface of the water and she inhaled her first breath of real air in quite a while, there was the clash of lightning and thunder overhead and the sea began to roil.

"What happened?!" she asked, having to shout to make herself heard above the storm. "It was clear a second ago!"

"Those are the seas of Neverland!" Peter called back. "Never predictable! We've got to get back to the mer kingdom and-LOOK OUT!" Her eyes snapped up just in time to see a massive wave bearing down on them, then Peter suddenly threw himself over her and the wave came down with an ear-splitting crash.

* * *

Peter came to slowly, opening his eyes just a crack. The first thing that registered was a delicious smell coming from somewhere. The second was that he was lying on a bed of leaves and woven fabric. The third was that there was someone else moving around near him. He sensed that someone approaching, then he snapped too, grabbing the hand that hovered over his face.

But the face he was met with bore no threat, it was only Ven. But her mismatched eyes were wide in surprise and almost…fear. He quickly let go.

"Sorry."

She stared at him a moment, then slowly reached down to retrieve a cloth that had fallen from his head to the bedding.

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" he replied in confusion.

She gave him a look that clearly said 'are you serious?'. "Last night, you got hit by the full force of that wave. You…you protected me."

The events of the previous day came rushing back. He felt blood rush to his face.

"Not you-"

"Right, just my heart," she cut in, her eyes darkening as she turned away. "How could I forget. I'm the only one who can prevent your 'inevitable death'."

He impulsively leaned forward, reaching out. "You're wr…" he trailed off, realizing he'd said the words aloud. Ven looked at him quizzically, questions hovering in her eyes. He pulled back his hand and ran it through his hair, clearing his throat. "You're right."

She turned, flipping her hair airily. "Oh, and you're welcome for getting you back here and treating your wounds. That wave left more than a few bruises."

"I would have been fine," he sniffed.

She snorted. "Whatever _your majesty_. If you're as perfectly fine as you claim go ahead and skiddaddle on out."

He appeared in front of her, smirking. "Who said I was perfectly fine?"

She glared at him. "Move."

"Come on Ven, that tongue of yours dull?" he teased.

She brushed past him to the table next to the fireplace. She deposited the cloth in the bowl atop the table and lifted a rough-looking teapot from the fire.

"Tea?" he questioned.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "I _am_ British."

"You were," he corrected.

"Tt." Ven poured a cup of tea for herself, then a second one. "Take it if the great King of Neverland isn't too sophisticated for a cuppa."

He watched as she passed him without so much as a glance. "Oh come now Ven don't be like that. What's got you so upset?"

She turned on him, tapping her cup impatiently. "Oh nothing, just the demon in front of me that refuses to address a single problem of meaning," she spat venomously.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Argh! Forget it. Get out Pan. You protected me, I saved you, we're even." She turned away.

He grabbed her arm. "Wait V-"

"Don't touch me!" she snapped, knocking his hand away. "Just leave me alone. I'm done playing your Game today."

He backed away, schooling his expression. "Then we'll continue our game later Ven."

He teleported away, appearing back in his pixie forest. He sat against the tree and let his head fall back against the trunk.

"I'm such an idiot," he murmured, closing his eyes.

 _"_ _Right, just my heart. How could I forget. I'm the only one who can prevent your 'inevitable death'."_

"You're wrong..."

* * *

 **There you have it! Please review! I read every single one and I really really like them please please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi guys! I'm so sorry it's been so long, once again my computer did that weird thing where it wouldn't update and all that crap but here I am! Back with the 3rd Chapter, the 4th will also be posted soon. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3:** **Joining the Battle**

 **Present Day**

Ven hung upside down from the ceiling of her home in the Echo Caves by some vines that threaded their way through the rock. She'd found that it was easier to focus and think if she wasn't simply sitting, and focused thought she needed indeed. No one, no matter how powerful, had the magic to break blood magic. Even Peter couldn't open her pendant, and he was as powerful as they come.

The pendant hovered in front of her, within the depth of its sapphire gem there seemed to burn a supernatural fire.

Her magic attributed somewhat to the 'Three Ts' teleportation, telepathy (illusions) and telekineses. She'd only recently discovered the third attribution (meaning around fifty years ago) and perfected it around five years ago. She enjoyed that one, but didn't use it often in front of her enemies, it afforded a big advantage to her.

"Upside down again are you?" a voice asked.

She dropped down to the ground to face Peter. "It's easier to think like that."

"What is sitting too normal?" he asked.

She smirked. "Perhaps. Of course the word normal doesn't exactly describe anyone on the island."

He took her hand. "Agreed. So, are you going to tell me about the pendant, or do I have to make you tell me?" he asked, tracing circles on her palm. He looked at her through hooded eyelashes.

Normally she would've responded to the banter, but she didn't feel very normal at the moment. She turned away, slipping the pendant back on.

"It's my mother's. It's the only connection to my past I have," she said.

"I see. And because Regina opened it…" he asked.

 _"_ _That pendant, it doesn't belong to you."_

"It has to be some kind of mistake," she said, several rocks flying to smash into the wall in her anger. "That pendant can only be opened by blood magic! She shouldn't be able to open it!"

A hand touched her arm sending a chill through her. "Unless…she can. Blood magic doesn't work with your own."

Her hand tightened around the pendant. "No. No way. There is no way that witch could be…no. There's just no way."

"Why are you so adamant?" Peter asked. "It sounds like you're trying to convince yourself."

"Well besides the fact that she's tried to kill me in the past she…she's here to get her son back," she said, her voice dropping several octaves. "Her son, Peter, do you know what that means?"

"It means that even if she it your blood mother she's now moved on," Peter replied.

She laughed bitterly. "I guess that really does make me a lost girl."

"Sure," Peter wrapped his arms around her from behind, "but you're _my_ lost girl. So even if she did try to get you back I wouldn't let her take you."

She couldn't help but smile. She and Peter might have had a very shifting relationship, but when it came to holding onto each other and letting go, neither would concede to the latter. The last two hundred years were a testimony to that.

"And besides," she said. "Even if Regina opened the pendant she couldn't be my mother. I was already one hundred thirty two when she was born."

"Quite right." He suddenly scooped her up. "Now, onto lighter subjects, we have a guest, an old friend."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really? Is this one of the 'old friends' that want to kill us?"

Peter smirked. "Yes. Although this one was someone you actually took a shine to."

Her eyes widened, then she smiled. "Baelfire. How wonderful."

The imagery shimmered and shifted and they appeared in the forest before a very disgruntled looking Felix and a couple other lost boys.

"Where's Baelfire?" Peter asked as he set her down.

Felix lowered his eyes. "He escaped."

She snorted. "Surprise surprise. The boy was taught by me after all."

"Can you find him?" Peter asked.

"No need," she replied with a shrug. "He'll come straight to us."

* * *

Ven found that she was correct in her assessment of Baelfire for later that night when she went to the camp she found everyone but Peter unconscious and confronted by Baelfire and Rumplestiltskin. But rather than intervene she perched in the canopy and watched the scene unfold, it was more interesting like that. And besides, she loved seeing Peter trapped by someone other than herself, it happened so rarely after all.

Baelfire immobilized Peter by use of squid ink on the shaft of an arrow, but when they got Henry Peter used his artful words to sow doubt. She smiled. He was a magician with words. Shortly thereafter the pair left, none the wiser to her presence.

She dropped down when they were gone.

"How amusing," she remarked, glancing in the direction they'd gone.

Peter shot her an irritated glance. "Why didn't you help?"

She smirked. "Now where's the fun in that?" She approached. "Besides, your words of doubt will reap rewards of destruction. Those… _children_ , will tear themselves apart on their own better than either of us ever could." She laughed, unable to hold it back at the sight of his frozen form.

He just scoffed. "Do make yourself useful if ya please." She laughed again and cupped his face in her hands.

"I think not, you'll just have to wait for the ink to ware off," she said, planting a kiss on his lips. "I'll be back darling."

"Ven!"

"Ta ta!"

She heard a muttered word of 'damn woman' before she was gone. Yes... she did love it.

* * *

To be honest, examining the situation from an impartial view was the most interesting thing she'd seen in a long time. She saw Henry falling further and further in Pan's camp, she saw David, desperate for a cure to his dream shade poison and he and Hook going to the Never Falls to find the sextant. She saw the girl's group capture Devin, the lost boy, she saw them contact Henry.

In the past two centuries she'd mostly kept out of Pan's business, being just an impartial viewer, but she knew that that time was coming to an end. She had Peter's heart, she knew his choice would decide her life or death. If he decided power over her she would die, she was nowhere near as powerful as he.

And then there was Regina. She knew in her head that Regina was much too young to be…whatever, and time travel was impossible even with magic.

Mostly.

There were two ways of time travel. One was nearly impossible, the spell ingredient rare, morbid and close to impossible, but the other…the other required the right time and circumstance. Occasionally (meaning every few thousand years) there would be a natural magic disaster, a hurricane, earthquake, tsunami, they would cause magic tremors, shock waves that touched every piece of magic…anything that had ever been done. This sometimes opened up portals to the past or future. It split dimensions, cracked universes, opened portals. To put it simply, it tore through reality.

Most of the time these magic tremors were destroyed by magic itself in an act of self-preservation, but every now and then those same tremors caused an inexplicable event that birthed darkness worse than anything Neverland could ever produce. Something worse than the Dark One.

The last time that had happened was rumored to be thousands of years before. Peter had told her about it, and he, in turn, had received the information from the demon that bound him. The story of a magic user that managed to harness the tremor's power.

If she was honest with herself, that scared her. Ven, master of magic, apprentice to Pan, only lost girl of Neverland. Child of the unknown. She was afraid. A power like that didn't just disappear. She knew in the pit of her chest that someone, somewhere, was still alive and still held that power. That impossible power. And when that power emerged, and she knew it would… all hell would come with it.

* * *

When Neal woke up dawn was just beginning to rise above the trees…which he was currently hanging from in some sort of cage. He remembered being recaptured by the Lost Boys, it gave him a weird sort of deja vu. He'd been in this situation before and it hadn't ended very well then and it probably wouldn't now.

"Right now you're probably getting a sense of deja vu," a voice suddenly said, he immediately snapped up and searched wildly for its source. The owner of the voice was perched on a branch straight across from him, hunched down like a predator eying its prey. Then his eyes widened in horrified recognition.

"Ven…" He was in trouble.

Ven smiled, her mismatched eyes cold as ice. "My dear Baelfire, it's been _such_ a long time."

"What do you want?" he asked, hands tightening on the bars of his cage.

She changed positions and sat down, her legs swinging back and forth like a child. "Want? Why, nothing from you."

"What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to visit our newest captive," she replied innocently. "I have so much fun with the other, isn't that right Wendy?"

He heard a slight scuffle from the other cage, but no voice. Ven tilted her head and the cloth over the cage lifted, revealing the girl.

Wendy lowered her eyes. "Please leave me alone."

Ven just laughed. "Oh you poor girl. I honestly do wish that I could set you free, but unfortunately if I did that Peter would have not only my heart but my head as well."

The cloth lowered back.

"Why are you doing this Ven?" Neal asked. "Pan just wants your heart, he's going to kill you anyway."

Ven's eyes suddenly darkened and she stood, her lips curling upward in a snarl. "You know nothing son of the Dark One." Seconds later she had her emotions under control and gave a smirk. "Sit tight Baelfire, you'll be reunited with your family soon... wether you'll be dead or alive is still yet to be seen." She laughed darkly and vanished.

* * *

Regina brushed bugs aside in annoyance as she made her way through the forest. She was beyond annoyed with the Charmings. Pathetic goody-two-shoes. She'd have a better chance getting Henry back with Gold than the Charmings, even if she didn't trust the poisonous little imp.

Suddenly there was a flash in the dying light and a knife shot forward to hover in front of her left eye.

"Don't move," a voice said. Her eyes narrowed as a figure shimmered into view before her. It was the same girl from the cave. The witch that had her pendant.

"You," she stated in disgust, letting her eyes travel over the girl. Black hair, mismatched blue and brown eyes, she was fit, her arms more muscular than most girls her age. She had three visible knives strapped to her boots and belt, plus the one threatening to skewer her eye.

"Yes, me," the girl said cooly. "Though I prefer the name Ven."

"What do you want?" she asked.

Ven's eyes were filled with a disturbing amount of anger. "Do you remember me?"

"Should I?"

"I'm the girl that 'infiltrated' your castle seeking your help," Ven replied. Her eyes widened slightly as the memory came flitting back. It was brief and very vague.

"Oh yes…" Then her eyes narrowed. "And you're also the one who has something that belongs to me." Her pendant. The one her mother gave to her on the day of her birth, the pendant she'd wanted to throw away but instead gave to…someone else. "Where did you get that."

Ven's eyes darkened even more, if possible. "From someone I have never known," she replied.

"Who?" Regina asked.

"My mother."

* * *

"My mother." Ven eyes Regina, watching for her reaction.

"Your mother?" Regina asked in confusion.

She removed the pendant from around her neck. "Yes. Would you believe my mother abandoned me in one of the rooms of a brothel in London, 1815?"

"1815?" Her voice was now even more confused.

She smirked. "I told you I'm older than I look. I turned two hundred a week ago, how time flies, or doesn't I suppose."

"What does this have to do with me?" Regina snapped.

She toyed with the pendant. "The fact that you claim to own this pendant in addition to being able to open it is what ties the two of us together." She held up the pendant and snapped her fingers, it opened.

Regina's eyes widened in shock.

"Now there are two possibilities. The first is that you're a descendant of the woman that gave birth to me, and the second is that…" she trailed off, letting the woman put two and two together.

"Impossible."

"Difficult but possible."

"You're two hundred? I'm twenty eight."

"Time is like water. This island is proof of that."

Air suddenly vanished from her lungs and Regina stocked up, slamming her against a tree.

"I don't have a daughter! I never have and I never will because the only man I have ever loved is dead," Regina hissed. "Killed by _my_ mother. His heart was ripped from his chest and turned to ash before my eyes so don't even suggest I would dishonor him and-"

"Than how can we both open the pendant?" Ven rasped.

Regina's hand loosened. "It's impos…" she trailed off.

Ven's eyes narrowed. "You remember…something," she managed, desperate for answers.

Regina dropped her and stepped back. "No. No it's impossible. No." As Ven lay on the ground recovering her breath the only woman with answer disappeared into the forest.

But that was okay, Ven would track her down and ring the answer from the other sorceress even if it killed her.

* * *

 **So what did you think? Please review! They mean a lot to me!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, Batfan here with the fourth chapter! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4:** **Questions to the Crocodile**

Somehow she knew that this would not end well. Of course, nothing ended well with _him_. Ven's second favorite pass-time had always been pissing people off. Her first favorite being teasing Peter. And so, because of this favored activity (plus the fact that she just had a grudge) she went to where she knew Rumplestiltskin currently resided.

One look at the eggs beside the fire told her that Peter had already been there, most likely to guilt-trip his brother.

"Hey Rumple," she greeted. He spun around, a dangerous look in his eye. He was on edge. Good.

"Who're you?" he asked warily, he could probably sense her power.

She smiled. "My name is Ven."

He cocked his head slightly, staring intently at her. "Do I know you?"

She nodded. "Yes. We only met briefly though a long time ago."

Rumple's eyes narrowed. "Wait…you're the girl. You came to me looking for help, your parents."

She nodded again. "Correct."

"I gave you a job, the cave, the dragon. You never came back," he said. "I assumed you were dead."

She smiled. "Corrrrect! Give the man-ah wait, imp, a prize. Lovely that you remember me, Ol' Reggie doesn't."

He frowned. "What?"

She smirked. "Nooothing."

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"The better question is what are _you_ doing here?" she shot back. "You know Peter is going to kill you right?" she prompted.

Rumplestiltskin just smirked but she could tell it was fake. "He can't."

She chuckled. "He isn't the helpless boy you abandoned years ago." He froze. She smiled. _Sore spot eh? Let's cut open old wounds._ "Ah yes, Rumplestiltskin the weakling, Rumple the coward. First your brother and then your son."

Fury now filled his eyes. "How do you know that?" he hissed through clenched teeth.

She smiled. "Peter told me everything. How you sold him as a boy to a demon, how you abandoned your own son, how you lied and faked by taking power. But power doesn't equal bravery, no, you're still just a weak, pathetic _coward-_ "

"Enough!" he shouted, teleporting next to her. But she was ready, she disappeared, dodging his hand, and reappeared a ways away.

"Ah ah ah," she breathed. "You can't take my heart."

"How are you here?" he hissed. "How do you know Pan?"

"Peter saved me from the dragon," she replied.

He sniffed disdainfully. "So let me guess, you're now completely and forever loyal to him?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Then what? A toy?" he sneered. "Or maybe a tool. Those are the only reasons anyone stays with that monstrosity."

Her eyes narrowed slightly at the blatant insult. But when she didn't reply Rumplestiltskin paused, wondering silently.

"Wait..." Then his eyes widened slightly. "Do you... love him?" Her jaw tightened. Rumple chuckled. "Yes that's it. Don't deny it, I can see it in your eyes. No one knows the sight of a love-struck fool better than I. But what are you to him? Why are you here? What do you want from me?"

She backed away. "I want nothing from y-"

"Answers." Her eyes widened and she took a step back. This wasn't going as she'd planned. "You want answers. From me." His eyes gleamed. "From me of all people."

"I want nothing from you," she spat. "You're more monster than he is."

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," Rumple replied. "I may be a monster... to you."

"Oh it's more than just me," she shot back, anger flaring in her chest. "You've left a trail of destruction in your quest for power, I daresay there are more people that think of you as the most horrific monster in history than anything else."

"Who are you to speak of monsters? Pan is as much on as I am," Rumple said. She tensed. "You're wasting your time, love is futile with Pan. He lost that ability long ago."

She smiled. _Perfect, something I can work with._ She appeared behind him and whispered into his ear.

"And who's fault is that?"

Rumplestiltskin's eyes widened and he turned just as she disappeared, her intent achieved, leaving a half man half demon behind with nothing but guilt.

* * *

 **Sorry it was kinda short, I promise the next one will be longer ;) Please review! I read each and every one of them.**

 **Shoutout to the three guests (there were no names) that reviewed, thank you so much!**

 **I'll see y'all next week, enjoy the weekend!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi guys! I know I'm one day late and I'm sorry about that, though this chapter is a little bit longer, so enjoy the story!**

 **Disclaimer:**

 **Henry: Hi guys! I'm Henry and I'm the person they nominated for the disclaimer, so here it is... Batfan3 does not own any Once Upon a Time characters except Ven. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5:** **Familiarity**

 _Darkness entrenched everything in an unbreakable wall, no light broke through. Nothing. Voices echoed around the abyss. Images flashed._

 _People. The pendant. An island, a price a heart demons magic life death…him…voices…_

 _"_ _There is always a price to magic…"_

 _"…_ _You're good you know, at the game…"_

 _"…_ _we're both kept captive on this island by a demon…"_

 _"_ _Choose."_

 _"_ _VEN!"_

 _"_ _Choose!"_

 _"_ _PETER!"_

 _"_ _CHOOSE!"_

"NO!" Her eyes snapped open as the cry tore itself from her throat. Ven blinked her mismatched eyes at the ceiling of her cave. She was shaking, chills traveled down her spine as she remembered the images.

Dreams. Windows to the soul. Hints at the future. Flashes of the past.

She opened her palm and her pendant rose before her eyes.

"Who am I?" she whispered. "Why am I here?" The image of the black haired woman flashed through her mind. "How?"

She closed her eyes.

 _"_ _Hush my child…the sun sets in the west and the twinkle of the stars appear…this world deserves not your light my precious one…but into this world you were born…do not be afraid I am here…_

The words echoed in her head as a cold tear slipped form the corner of her eye and trailed down her face.

"I can't do this anymore," she whispered. "Someone help me…someone please…please help me…"

* * *

He walked through the cave as calmly as he could. He'd grown to hate the place with every fiber of his being. The source of his demise. Skull Rock. Home of the demon. But he was here because he had sensed her. Mim.

"Peter Pan!"

He faced the hag. "Madam."

She examined him closely. "What do you want?"

"Knowledge," he replied.

"Of what?"

He held up Ven's pendant. "This. I want to know what it is. It's powerful. I can sense it, Ven doesn't know it but I do. It holds power greater than any mere mortal should possess."

"And you want that power?" Mim asked with an expectant cackle.

He shook his head. "No. It belongs to Ven. I just want to know what it does."

She stared at him in rare surprise. "Hmmm. You've changed…very well. But what do I get in return?"

He tensed, having known this was coming. He pulled a small box from thin air and handed it to her. She opened it and giggled.

"Ah! The wing remnant of a fallen pixie! It must be my birthday!" Tinkerbell would never know, after all, it wasn't as though she could use them anymore.

"The pendant Mim."

"Yeah yeah yeah." She hopped up. "Now listen closely…"

* * *

"Ven."

The voice was soft and gentle. A tone not often used by Peter. She opened her eyes to his beautiful green ones.

"Peter."

He dropped her pendant in her hand and her eyes widened fractionally. She hadn't even realized it was gone. How…? What was she thinking, this was Peter. Sometimes she wondered if he could indeed do anything. Of course she knew he couldn't do anything, if he could he wouldn't even be on Neverland.

He reached down and took her hand, threading his fingers through hers. Then he raised her hand, then paused. He raised his eyes.

"I know," he murmured.

She stared, a shiver suddenly running down her spine. "You know? Know what?"

"What the pendant is."

She gave an involuntary gasp and she grabbed his hands tightly. "Tell me!"

"Are you sure?" His eyes held a sudden earnestness she had never seen before. "You have to be absolutely positive, you may not like it."

She nodded firmly. "Yes. I'm sure. Tell me, I have to know."

He nodded. "Very well…"

* * *

Regina could feel it. The final battle was approaching. They would raid Pan's camp the following day and get Henry back. The night was cold and dark as she walked through the forest, seeking solace from the overbearing company of the other group. But try as she might to clear her thoughts she couldn't. Why? Oh right, the girl. Ven.

Why was she familiar? What was she talking about? Could Regina possibly be…her mother?

Memories came flooding back. Memories of Daniel, that passionate night so many years ago. His death, her mother…the child. The precious child with long black tresses and beautiful blue and brown eyes. The child that died before she could even taste life.

It was impossible.

Regina started as a sudden wail drifted on the wind.

"You can hear them," a voice murmured. "The cries."

She spun around to face the speaker. _Speak of the devil._

"Ven," she breathed.

The girl, the exact replica of her dead child, met her eyes steadily. "Those are the cries of the lost. The cries of children who feel abandoned by their family. Everyone on this island is lost. The boys…Peter…me…you…"

"I am not lost," she replied. "M-"

Ven laughed. "Oh don't deny it. You lie and lie and lie and lie!" Her voice had risen. "Just admit it! I know you, the daughter of Cora, the same Cora that crossed the Dark One and lived, the same Cora that killed for power, the same Cora that ruined her own daughter because of her selfishness. You're just like her! You're selfish and fueled by vengeance. You killed your father for vengeance and now? Now you're helping the ones you want to kill! You are pathetic!"

"And you're delusional, what you're saying is impossible-"

"No it isn't!" Ven interrupted. "Magic storms create tears. You know this. The pendant is testimony of that. I know that you know that. It is possible!"

"It's a million to one," she scoffed. "Besides I would know. My child died. She was killed by my mother and she isn't coming back! And now my boy is going to die too and I can't take that!" she exclaimed.

"She died?!" Ven exploded. "You believe that? Just admit it to yourself! It's right in front of you!"

"What do you want?" she snapped. "Admission? Retribution?"

"I want the truth!" Ven shouted.

"The truth about what? I already told you it's impossible-"

"No it isn't! Rumplestiltskin Ursula Maleficent Zelena Cruella I have seen them all! I see them from the outside of time. Their search, their need to change the past. But they can't! They don't know. But we do. Your mother did too. This pendant? Formed in the heart of the most powerful magic storm, lost in the pits of Ra'dar and found by Cora. The central point, the lure, the pendant that is filled with power of a magic storm! She didn't die, she was swept up by the storm because of this pendant. I know. I know this!"

"Then what do you want?!" Regina snapped. "If you already know then what do you want from me?"

"I want you to admit it!" she shouted. "Don't disown me! Don't forget me! You owe me that much! Tell me the truth! Who am I? Who is my father? You know don't you? So tell me! TELL ME!"

"YES!" Regina shouted. Something in Ven's eyes seemed to break. "Yes. I am your mother. I've known, maybe since we first met. I don't know how but it is true."

They stared at each other in silence. Then...

"Then why? Why in God's name did you let. Me. Go…?" Those words, that question…how could she answer? She couldn't. She couldn't even speak.

Light shone through the trees. The sun was rising. As she stood in heartbroken silence Ven slowly backed into the forest. Her mismatched eyes, her oh-so familiar and beloved eyes, became dull and expressionless and she raised her chin, looking Regina in the eye.

"The final battle is approaching…and someone is going to die…"

* * *

Henry snuck through the silent camp, stepping over the leg of a haphazardly sleeping lost boy and slipping away into the darkness. That evening he'd found a tiny knife, he was pretty sure it was flint, beside him and had used it to cut free of the ropes after the lost boy guarding him had gone to sleep.

The forest was quiet, only the whisper of the wind flitting through the tall trees could be heard. There was no moon that night, just dim stars that didn't even break through the tree canopy. He tried to be as quiet as he could, walking slowly and carefully when a voice suddenly murmured in his ear.

"You're going the wrong way."

He jumped and clapped a hand over his mouth to prevent the shout that rose up in his throat. He spun around in surprise to see none other than Ven the illusion witch before him.

"What do you want?" he hissed.

She raised an eyebrow. "Not you dead. Which is what you'll be if you continue walking this way. You'll walk straight off a cliff."

"What's it to you?" he growled.

She gave a low chuckle. "You are no good to anyone dead my dear boy. Especially me."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked. There was something in her voice that made him hesitate, as if she knew something he didn't.

"I mean, you and I are literally cut from the same cloth," she replied.

"I am nothing like you," he practically shouted.

"No, I said _literally_ dear boy. We're _literally_ linked through magic. We share the same heart." He stared at her in shock, thinking 'she _must_ be messing with me'. But she just smirked. "Surprised? Well it's true. We both have parts of magic that is almost impossible to gain, you the son of the lines of the darkest evil and the most pure light, and me, the daughter of darkness that was transported through light and time itself. Honestly it makes much more sense now than it used to," she said, her voice dropping to a barely discernible murmur.

"You're lying," he said. "You're lying just like everyone else."

Ven looked at him and he found that he couldn't look away, her mismatched eyes were mesmerizing and seemed to stare straight through him, he couldn't even blink. "I never have and I never will lie to you Henry. I can promise you that."

"Why can't you people just let me go," he said desperately.

Ven's enrapturing eyes turned away, thankfully. "It'll be over soon boy, don't worry. And hopefully, well, if all goes well, you shan't come out any worse for ware. No, if all goes well you might even live. Me on the other hand…will I be dead?"

 _Dead? What's she talking about? She's with Pan right? Right?_

"What do you mean dead?" he asked.

She blinked and looked at him. "Oh nothing. I believe you and Pan have some things to talk about though so back to the camp with you."

The surroundings shimmered and he was back in the camp, surrounded by sleeping lost boys as the son slowly rose above the tree. When he approached the edge of the camp he couldn't seem to get past the edge, Ven must've erected a magic barrier or something. The girl herself was nowhere in sight but her words didn't leave him and one thing was for sure.

At the rise of the sun, someone was going to die.

* * *

 **And there we have the end of the fifth chapter! I know this book seems super short but there will be at least seven more chapters. At least. So stick around and stay tuned! Chapter 6 coming next week with more looks into Ven and Peter's past!**

 **Batfan out.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys, I know I'm a day late but I swear when I tried to post the next chapter yesterday my internet said nah, you don't get to post today, so here we are.** **Anyways here I am with the 6th chapter!**

 **No I do not own OUAT, if I did Peter would not be Rumple's father (bleh!_) and he would still be on the show.**

 **Play ball!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6:** **Something More Than Death**

 **One hundred forty years previous…**

Ven lay in her bed of leaves in the cave she called home, her fight (if you could call it a fight) with Peter still fresh in her mind. She'd been her for years (real time) now and she'd known for just as long why she was here. She was here because Pan was dying and he was looking for a way to cheat death. She knew that, he'd never tried to hide it from her and he'd never lied to her, she was going to die when he took her heart.

So why did she feel like this?

It had started in that cave in the Enchanted Forest when he saved her from the dragon and she'd hoped it would fade with time but it seemed to only grow worse. Whenever she was with him she either wanted to punch him or…or…

She felt her face grow hot at that thought and slapped her cheeks.

"Focus Ven, focus," she said firmly. She sighed. "Yeah right." She sat up and crossed her legs, inhaling deeply. When she was upset as she was now she liked to just be quiet and focus her magic energy, it was good practice and strangely soothing.

But only moments in her eyes suddenly snapped open and she cried out. She'd felt burning, burning that came directly from her chest. She closed her eyes, pressing a hand to her chest as if to try and smother the invisible flames.

"Having trouble?" a voice asked.

She grit her teeth. "Ever heard of knocking?"

"Course not, I'm the King of Neverland remember?" Peter replied with a wink.

She glared at him. "What do you want?"

He sauntered up. "Well, first I can tell you what that burning is," she perked up. "It's untrained fire magic. It's natural magic, something passed down genetically, so you can either ignore it and for a while the burning will intensify but after a few weeks it'll fade and so will the magic, or you can nurture it and learn to use it and it'll get stronger and as your control gets better the burning will fade. Either way the pain goes away."

She rolled her eyes. "If you're trying to convince me to learn fire magic don't, you already know I _want_ to learn."

He cocked his head quizzically. "And how do I know that?"

She glared at him. "Don't play-"

"Games?"

She stopped talking. What a stupid choice of words. Saying that was like telling a fish not to swim.

"So are you going to teach me?" she asked. "I've perfected my teleportation and I'm already proficient in telekinesis, I'd very much like to learn pyrokinesis."

Peter stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. "Because the magic is genetic transferal, it's from one of your parents. I'd say more likely your mother, fire magic is much more powerful in the hands of a female, flames of passion and all that."

"You're saying that my mother gave me this magic?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yes. Though I'd wager she didn't have magic training specifically for fire, her magic is most likely limited to fire balls and such. Does this bother you?"

She looked away. "Tch. Why would it?"

He shrugged. "No reason. Let's go."

"Now?"

"No time like the present." He snapped his fingers and the two disappeared from the cave and reappeared at the top of the tallest mountain in Neverland. She punched his arm.

"Don't do that without warning me," she snapped.

He just chuckled lightly. "Alright, let's begin. The first thing you need to know is that while all more powerful magic relies on emotion the magic that relies the _most_ on emotion is fire magic. Something I'm sure you won't have any trouble with," he added with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes. "Just keep going."

"Alright alright. The second thing you need to know about fire magic is that it is _not_ something to play around with-"

"Please. I'm no child," she huffed.

He outright laughed at that. "That is almost as funny as your earlier comment about not playing games. Form is a very important part of fire magic, a wrong form and the flames can go out of control." He slid his right foot back and raised his left hand to his ear, a second later he swung his wrist down and a fire ball flared up in his palm. "Now you try."

She copied his stance, taking a deep breath. "Emotion." She swung her arm down, shoving forth all of her anger at the world into the movement. The burning in her chest intensified but… nothing happened. She tried again but nothing happened again. "What's going on!?" she exclaimed angrily. "I should be able to do it," she snapped.

Peter grabbed her hand and raised it up, he brought her back to the form. "Just try again." She flushed bright red at the realization of how close he was. He was practically hugging her from behind. "Go on. Try it."

She took a deep breath and brought up her anger, except she was too mixed up with…something else, that she couldn't concentrate. She stepped away.

"No. I can't do it," she blurted.

He hummed softly. "Maybe you can't draw your fire magic from anger, maybe it's a different emotion," he mused.

"Either way I can't do it, not right now." And with that she teleported away, leaving behind a very confused Peter.

* * *

He shouldn't feel like this. Ven was going to die. That was the only reason he'd brought her to the island in the first place. He needed her heart otherwise he would die, it was that simple. Honestly he couldn't care less about the boy, Henry, the boy was just a link that needed to be severed, he probably wouldn't even die. But Ven…he'd cared enough to bring her to the island, to teach her magic.

He'd aided Neverland in capturing her cold heart and anchoring it to the island. It had been a long time now, over fifty years in earth years, and he was feeling…wrong. It was a feeling he wasn't supposed to have, she was going to die and he was to live. That was the bottom line.

There was just no way.

* * *

In the relative safety of her small cave Ven was also experiencing turmoil within her heart. Part of her said that the things she felt were impossible, doomed to fail. She was here to die after all. But the other part pushed her toward…him.

She groaned and practically fell onto her bed, closing her eyes and falling into a fitful sleep.

 _She was back in London again. Back on the dirty streets that were dimly lit by ill-kept street lamps. She was in this place, this place she hated so much. Here she was, hurrying through the darkened streets, her heart thudded painfully in her young chest._

 _She was scared. She was young, alone, small, weak, a girl. Who knew how many bad things could happen? She was small for a fourteen year old, but right on the cusp of becoming a woman._

 _Suddenly a hand grabbed her wrist and dragged her back into an alley. She screamed, trying to pull away, but the hand was like a vise, clamping onto her skinny wrist firmly._

 _"_ _Hush li'le girl," a gravelly voice hissed. "Bad things happen ta people who don' obey."_

 _"_ _Please don't hurt me," she whimpered. Normally she would try and escape but she was tired, weak from lack of food and terrified out of her wits._

 _A hand stroked her arm, the touch was light, but it send shivers down her spine._

 _"_ _Of course not m'dear, I wouldn' 'urt a lovely thing like y'self," he said in her ear, his disgusting smelling breath washing over her. She flinched away._

 _"_ _Let me go," she whimpered. "Please."_

 _" '_ _fraid I canna do tha'. Yer a lovely thing, and so young and tender too." His left hand snaked around her waist and travelled down her leg while the other released her wrist and wrapped around her chest. She struggled slightly but couldn't break free. A hot tongue slicked across her neck. She whimpered again._

 _"_ _Let me go," she gasped out, her voice hoarse with fear._

 _Her back was pressed up against the wall of the alley as he pressed against her, hand slipping under her ragged dress and to places none had ever touched. She felt warm saliva on her breast as the shoulder of her dress was pulled down._

 _Panic thudded through her body, panic that turned to strength, she suddenly struck out, landing a blow to his chest, he immediately shoved her to the ground. She struggled to her feet and scrambled towards the exit of the dark alleyway. She was almost there when a hand wrapped around her ankle and dragged her back._

 _"_ _Ye shouldnta done that," he growled. She cried out, finally managing to find her voice._

 _"_ _Help! Somebody help m-mmph!" She was cut off as a mouth slammed onto hers, he forced his tongue into her mouth and practically down her throat, effectively silencing her cries. Then she bit down on his tongue as hard as she could, the coppery taste of blood permeated her mouth as he wrenched back, crying out in pain._

 _She slammed into him with all her might, causing him to stumble backwards to the ground._

 _"_ _You itt'e bitch!" he shouted, blood pouring from his mouth. She pulled away, the look in his eyes read murder. She stumbled back further and further as he advanced. Her hand came in contact with something cold and hard. Her eyes widened. Maybe…_

 _Then he lunged forward just as she brought the piece of sharp glass up to slice cleanly across the rapist's throat. He made an awful gurgling noise before stumbling forward on top of her, his death rattles grating on her ears as she sobbed into her bloody hands._

Ven woke up screaming. All she could see was the red, the blood that spilled from her hands and her mouth. The eyes of that man as he lay dead in the alley, killed by the desperation of a terrified little girl. Killed by her. She killed him.

 _She killed him._

 _Ven_.

She was a murderer.

 _Ven…_

She slit his throat with a piece of glass.

 _Ven!_

She killed him.

"Ven!" The voice brought her back to reality and drew her out of the sobs that wracked her body. "Look at me Ven! Please! What happened? Are you hurt?"

She just continued sobbing, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

Then arms wrapped around her, but it was different than that time. _It's okay…you're safe now. I'm here._ That's what they said. At first she was tense and unmoving, but gradually, ever so gradually, her sobs subsided and she relaxed into his embrace as he rocked her back and forth.

"Shhh…I've got you…" he whispered.

They sat like that for a long time, her tear-drenched face buried into his chest, her arms limp and her body weak. But he just held her gently and didn't let go, didn't leave. He was there.

"I killed someone," she murmured after a long silence. He didn't react. She managed to push herself upward to face him, to look him in the eyes. "I _killed_ a man. He…he tried to…to…" she felt tears well back up in her eyes, the fear from that time thrumming within her anew.

He hugged her tightly. "Don't talk if you don't want to."

She pushed him away, standing.. "No! I have to." She took a shuddering breath as he stood as well. "It was when I was in London, I was fourteen. Tired, starving. A man jumped me…he tried to…" her breath caught. "He tried to rape me. I-I killed him with a piece of glass I found in the alley. Slit his throat easily." She chuckled mirthlessly. "Humans are so weak. All it took was desperation and a piece of glass. We're weak! Pathetic! Worthless!" She punctuated each word by slamming her fist into the ground, but the third time he caught her fist.

"I am…" she coughed out. "I'm weak, pathetic. I'm worthless. Truest believer? Ha! I'm a dirty little street rat and a killer. I'm nothing." She squeezed her eyes shut, tears trickling down her face. All of the words people had hammered into her in her life echoed around her head like a curse. _Abandoned…unwanted…weak…pathetic…alone…worthless…_ "Worthless. That's what I am."

She let her head drop to rest against his chest and needlessly hide her tears. Why bother? He'd already seen every drop and tear in her heart.

"Is that really what you think?" he whispered.

She didn't have the strength nor the will to respond.

Then he lifted her chin and shifted so she could see her reflection in a mirror he summoned.

"What do you see?" he murmured.

Her hair was disheveled, her face tear stained and her eyes were red and puffy. She was a mess. But her eyes…her eyes were like magnets in all their mismatched filth, eyes that held sorrow and cruelty, anger and pain. The eyes of a child that grew up to fast. Someone worthless. A waste product of the rotten world she'd abandoned.

"I see all hell," she said finally.

"I don't," he said. "I see Ven. Ven the Lost Girl of Neverland. A girl who was beaten down upon and thrust out by the world but got back up. The girl who looked into the eyes of the world that wanted her to fall apart and said 'I will not fall…I will not fade…' " He pulled her face towards him and rested his forehead against hers. " 'I will take your breath away…' "

She looked into his bright green eyes, stunned.

"You…Ven, you are the most important person in my world," he said. "You take my breath away with every action you take. You push past your struggles and get back up every time you fall. You are strong, maybe falling but never breaking. You're stronger than I could ever wish to be."

She looked away. "I'm not. I'm nothing. Unwanted." Then he cupped her face in his hands and leaned down, his lips brushed against hers, a mere whisper of a kiss.

"Oh Ven…" his voice was gentle, wistful almost. "If I could wish for one thing…anything at all…I would wish for you to see yourself through my eyes." His thumb rubbed against her cheek. "You silly girl…" he whispered, smiling though his eyes glinted with tears. "You've ruined me you know."

She stared, unable to speak.

"You think you are unwanted. You silly…beautiful girl. I want you…more than anything."

His head dropped down as she stared, then she saw glinting droplets falling to the floor, he was…crying. She stepped forward hesitantly, reaching forward and wordlessly taking his hand. She didn't say a word, she barely dared to draw breath as he leaned down, tears still on his cheeks, and kissed her tenderly…

…and she kissed back.

It was her first _real_ kiss. It was real and true. It held none of the lies that the two of them threw around when they played their Game. No. This one was true and real. It seemed to take the memory of _that_ time and replace it with something else, something good. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss even more while his arms pulled her closer protectively. She felt heat as orange flames climbed up her legs but did not burn.

After what seemed like a beautiful eternity the two broke apart and the fire faded slightly but did not disappear.

"Your flames," he murmured. "Not flames of anger…" he didn't voice the words they both knew.

As she looked into his green eyes, somewhere in her mind she knew that this was terribly idiotic. It was impossible. She was to die was she not?

"This really is a horrible, terrible idea," she murmured, managing to bring a small, tired smile to her lips.

"Shall we do it and see what happens?" he asked. She nodded.

"But what if…what if you leave me?" she whispered.

"I won't leave you. I promise."

She closed her eyes. "Is it possible?" She felt the flames flickering. "Is my fate…something more than death?"

The flames rose around them and did not burn. Flames of anger they were not…they were flames of a love fated to burn…

* * *

 **Thoughts? Hopes? Fears? Come on guys I'm dyin' here!** **Pleeeease review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys, sorry I'm a couple days late, once again the damn thing wouldn't load! You have no idea how** **frustrating that is.**

 **Also, I want to thank Laura and LilyCaroline17 for reviewing in the past, those reviews really mean a lot to me! Enjoy the new Chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Once upon a time.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7:** **Skull Rock**

 _"_ _Is my fate…something more than death?"_

Ven gazed at the bright moon, the words she'd said over a century ago fresh in her mind.

 _"_ _I want your heart."_

 _"_ _The heart of the truest believer."_

 _"_ _I'm only here to die!"_

 _"_ _Right, just my heart. How could I forget. I'm the only one who can prevent your 'inevitable death'."_

It was impossible. She was worthless for all but her heart. Her mother had abandoned her, the streets of London had raised her, and Peter Pan had changed her. The only thing he wanted from her was her heart right? He'd told her that the entire time she'd lived on Neverland except…except that night.

 _"_ _This really is a horrible, terrible idea."_

 _"_ _Shall we do it and see what happens?"… "We'll figure it out eventually."_

What did he mean? Did he…did he think she wouldn't die… _No! Stop it. You're going to die. You've had a long time to accept that._ She was going to die the moment she was born, that was all there was to it. She was fated to die and nothing more. Her mother had forgotten her, Henry was proof of that. All that was left for her was death. Right?

"Something more than death," she murmured. She sighed and lowered her eyes back to earth. "No." The loyalty that had rooted itself in her on that night so many years ago was still there and strong. She'd known it for a long time and she also knew that it would never ever change.

* * *

A flood of unease rushed over her the moment Ven stepped foot on Skull Rock, the cursed island was a better name. She breathed deeply. This was it. The end was approaching unbelievably fast.

As she was expecting, Peter and Henry were waiting for her at the island.

"I was wondering if you would come," Peter said with a cheeky smile. She rolled her eyes.

"As if I would miss this." She turned to Henry. "Henry." He looked up. "Don't be afraid."

"I'm not," he said immediately, then paused. "Well maybe a little."

She smiled. "Well, don't be. You'll be safe, well as safe as we can possibly make you." He would be anything _but_ safe. _Come to think of it…Henry is…my adopted brother._ She stepped forward, Henry looked at her but didn't pull away which she was thankful for. She leaned over and planted a kiss on his forehead. _My quarrel does not lie with you._

"See you in a bit m'dear," Peter said. "You know what to do." She nodded. Then he waved his hand, forming the shadow barrier. Then the two of them disappeared up the passage, leaving Ven alone to wait for the Charmings, Hook, Rumplestiltskin and…her mother.

* * *

"Hello big brother."

Rumplestiltskin snapped up at the sound of Peter's voice, then he grimaced when their eyes met.

"Peter Pan."

"What a terrible greeting for your own brother," he said, feigning annoyance.

"You're not my brother," Rumple said. "Not anymore."

He smirked wolfishly. "Is the cowardly Dark One feeling guilty?"

"Of course not," Rumple snapped. "Now where is Henry? I'm here to bring him home."

"Are you still trying to convince yourself that you're here to save him? Forget it Rumple, you should know by now that you're a coward, you always have been and you always will be. You'll do anything to save your own skin."

"No! That's not true! I've chan-"

"Can a leopard change his spots?" he shot back. "This is coming from the man that sold his fourteen year old brother with a limp to a demon so that he wouldn't have to go to war," he snarled. "You are a coward! And you haven't changed! I thought maybe after you had Baelfire you would let that go but no, no you abandoned your son just as you abandoned me."

"Is that what this is all about?" Rumple asked incredulously. "Revenge for what I did to you?"

Peter inhaled deeply. "No, I hated you for a long time but I've let it go. I don't want revenge, I want you to join me, I want us to be brothers again."

Rumplestiltskin stared at him for a moment. "Sorry Pan, but we can never be brothers again, I have to save Henry." He waved his hand and the Pandora's Box appeared. "Goodbye brother." He waved his hand over the top, preparing to suck him in, but nothing happened. "What?" He did it again, still nothing. "Why…?"

"Because you don't have it," he sneered. The real Pandora's Box appeared in his own hand and Rumple's disappeared. "Don't you know? In Neverland you can gain anything you want, you wish for it and it appears." Rumple's eyes widened. "Oh yes dear brother…into the box you go." He waved his hand, Rumple reaching out, his eyes still wide with panic…then he disappeared into the box and the harmless-looking thing snapped closed.

He sighed. "Alright…that's done. On to stage two."

* * *

Ven waited patiently for the ill-fated 'heroes' to come to the rock and once they were there she let Rumplestiltskin pass by, shielding her magic signature. Peter had unfinished business with his brother. The others, however, were unable to step past the shadow barrier. She had to admit, she was impressed by their ingenuity in covering the moon with clouds so they could get past the barrier, but they wouldn't get past her.

So just as they were about to step over the no-longer-present barrier, she teleported down to block their way.

"Ven," Hook snarled. She spared him nary a glance, focusing on Regina, she was the most dangerous, especially with her son's life on the line. On the contrary, only Hook, Neal and Regina knew exactly just how dangerous _she_ was.

"Hello darlings, come to retrieve your darling little brat," she said condescendingly. Emma, Hook, Neal and David all drew their swords and Snow White drew back an arrow while a ball of fire appeared in Regina's hand. She smirked. _Perfect._

"We don't want to hurt you but we will if you don't get out of here," Snow said.

She tilted her head. "Ahh…no. No no that simply won't do."

"Pan is lying to you," Emma tried. "He's not trying to save Neverland he's trying to—"

"Save himself?" she finished, the blond's surprised expression sending a small thrill into her.

"You know?" David asked in surprise.

She nodded. "Oh yes, I know everything. Peter might lie to you but he has never lied to me and I…believe, that he never will," she said, smiling at her own joke.

"Why are you helping him?" Regina asked. Her mismatched eyes drifted lazily over to her mother.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she said softly. "I scarcely believe it myself."

"Enough of this," Neal snapped. "Step aside or we'll make you."

She laughed. "Oo, how threatening." She snapped her fingers and Neal's sword swung around at Emma, Hook and David began fighting and Snow slammed up against the wall.

"What the-"

"It's her spell!"

"Try to resist."

She laughed at their pathetic attempts to resist her spell. A burning ball shot towards her but she just held up her hand and caught it.

"Did you know that genetically passed fire magic is four times as strong as magically acquired abilities?" she asked nonchalantly.

"Let me pass Ven!" Regina shouted. "I don't want to hurt you but I will!"

"To get to your son?" she asked, appearing behind Regina. "My replacement," she whispered. "The one you gained when you forgot about me!"

Regina tried to strike out but she dodged.

"Do you know how painful that was?!" she exclaimed. "I grew up without a family! I didn't even know my mother's name because you let me go!" Her nonchalance was fading, slowly being replaced by years and years of anger.

"I didn't let you go!" Regina denied. "Cora-"

"Screw Cora! Screw Cora and Rumplestiltskin and Henry and all of them, _you_ let me go! You didn't protect me!" she shouted. Her spell had all but disappeared but no one was attacking, all of their attention was focused on the two magic users.

"What is she talking about?" Snow asked. "Regina do you know her?"

Regina didn't speak. "Go on," she said. "Go on and tell them. Tell them who I am." Still nothing. She let out a sharp laugh that vocalized her disbelief. "Don't you dare keep silent! Don't disown me or ignore me! Tell them who I am! Tell th-"

"Alright!" Regina shouted. "Ven…Ven is…she's my daughter."

Every set of eyes grew wide as saucers.

"Wait, Regina that means…Daniel…and you? Ven is…?" Snow stuttered. _Daniel? Is that my father's name?_

"How come we don't know this?" Emma exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because I didn't know she was alive until we first met her in the cave," Regina replied.

"That pendant…" David trailed off.

"Why don't I know this?" Neal asked.

"Because I didn't know either," Ven answered. "I grew up in the pit of London's back allies in the early eighteen hundreds until the Shadow brought me to Neverland. I grew up thinking that I was abandoned and unwanted by my parents, hell, I was found in one of the unused rooms in a bloody _brothel_."

It didn't make sense. She knew it. She knew it didn't make sense that she was transported to Earth and back in time…unless you knew about the magic storms.

"All of this is about a personal grudge?" Hook asked suddenly.

 _Get ahold of yourself Ven. Though my unintentional outburst did have a desired effect. Now the rest of the group is confused and split, they don't know what's going on with Regina and they're not sure what to think._

"It is," she replied.

"So she really is your daughter?" David asked.

Regina's eyes flicked back and forth in agitation. "We're wasting time! Henry still needs us."

"But Regina your daughter-"

"Is right here," she interrupted Snow. "You imbeciles really don't get it. This isn't just about you and your brat, this concerns much more. Do you even realize how powerful the Heart of Truest Belief is?" she asked incredulously. She'd thought they'd try and find out at least a little bit more before charging in.

"But your daughter?!" Emma exclaimed. _They really don't get it._

"We have to rescue Henry!" Regina said, almost desperately.

"Are you avoiding the subject _mother_?" she taunted. _That's it. I won't let you forget me. Not again._

Surprisingly it was Hook that brought them back on point, he stepped forward and pointed his sword at her. "Step aside witch, you're out numbered."

She laughed. "You idiot. I'm as powerful as Regina and have had two centuries to harness my abilities in addition to being trained by Peter Pan."

"And I'm the product of true love," Emma said, stepping forward, her chin up and eyes focused.

Regina's eyes widened. "Emma don't-"

"Too late." She snapped her fingers, fire shot towards the foolish girl but Regina dove forward and caught it.

"Stop Ven! Please we just want Henry!" she pleaded. "Please! Please just let him go and you can do whatever you want with me. Don't take your hate out on him."

She slowed. _Hate? Do I hate her? Do I hate my mother?_ "I…don't hate you," she said slowly. "Not completely."

"Then why are you doing this?" Regina asked.

She cocked her head. "For Peter…it's all for him." A lie. It was for her too, finding her mother, trying to gain closure. _But what is closure? I can't get that…not with Regina as my mother. Not with how broken I am. I talk and I talk…I wish to find peace, to have what? Revenge? Closure? Love? A mother? No. It's to late for me, I can't get those, I'm too broken. Even revenge would be empty._

"That isn't true," Snow said, stepping forward. "Who exactly are you? You say you're Regina's daughter and that may be true…but who do you see yourself as?" She started. _Who am I…? Ah…yes I know. I know exactly who I am._

She took a deep breath. "I am the Lost Girl of Neverland, daughter of the Evil Queen Regina, granddaughter of Cora and possessor of the Heart of Truest Belief."

* * *

 **Ven has finally decided. Next chapter next week! Please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! Sorry no update, that comes tomorrow if my damn computer will work. Any who I was wondering if you guys wanted to see something in particular towards the end of our story, flashbacks, pairings etc... So just shoot me a PM or comment and I'll see what I can do ;)**

 **See ya tomorrow!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Some kid: "Hey dad what's that sound?"**

 **Some dad: "That my dear is the sound of a collective gasp that the beloved (as if) writer Batfan3 has actually updated on time. It happens once every millennia..."**

 **I'M ON TIME! Here we go with chapter 8! I am so pounding out these last chapters! Last battle is comin' up so send in the requests!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time, aside from my OC Ven. If I did Peter would be in more than twelve freakin' episodes.**

* * *

 **Chapter 8:** **The Heart of the Matter**

"Where are we?" Henry asked, looking around the innermost cave of Skull Rock.

Peter placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "This place is called the Chamber of Dreams." Henry's eyes were questioning. "There are many stories and legends surrounding Neverland, one of the more popular ones is the tale that Neverland is the land of lost dreams. The place that the dreams of humans young and old from the lands of the Enchanted Forest, Oz, Earth and Wonderland, as well as others, go to once they've been lost or given up on. It is also the most accurate of the stories. This Chamber, specifically the Life Glass, holds the most powerful of those dreams. It's the base of all magic in Neverland."

Henry's eyes were now wide with wonder as he stared at the big hourglass. "What do I have to do?"

He took a deep breath. "There's a spell that must be performed. As Ven has told you the two of you share the same heart, or to be more precise, have two halves of the same magical whole. The spell's goal is to separate the two. Once that's done I will be able to use the power of the Heart of the Truest Believer to replenish Neverland's magic."

"So I won't have the Heart of the Truest Believer anymore?" Henry asked, Peter could hear the worry in the boy's voice.

"Not exactly… it's like this: Ven has the lock and you have the key, in essence you'll be giving the key to Ven, understand?"

Henry nodded. "Yeah. So what do I have to do?"

He waved his hand and red mist whirled through the air in an intricate pattern. "For now…we wait. Ven will be here soon." He closed his eyes. " _It's time Ven._ "

***Ven***

" _It's time Ven._ "

The words echoed in her mind the second the word 'belief' left her lips. She met the stunned eyes of her mother one more, then snapped her fingers, a barrier shot up between them.

"Ven-"

She didn't hesitate and immediately teleported to the heart of Skull Rock…The Chamber of Dreams. Her eyes flitted over the massive gold hourglass, the sands of life were slowly trickling away, they didn't have much time left. _He_ didn't have much time left. She walked forward letting her hand brush against the golden skull-crusted base.

She felt something heavy on her, like eyes boring into her back, she turned quickly but only he was there.

"Ven."

She met his eyes. "Peter." Henry came out from behind the not-so-immortal boy. "Have you explained?" she asked. Peter nodded. "Good. Let's get started then."

" _My barrier won't last long_ ," she told Peter in her head, he gave her a slight movement of acknowledgement. Her eyes drifted over to the twisting pattern of red mist. _This is it._ She turned to Henry. "Henry, take my hand." He slowly obeyed and grasped her outstretched hand. She stepped upwards and the red mist caught around her foot and she stepped up, proceeding thus until she and Henry were in the middle of the red mist.

"Is it going to hurt?" Henry asked quietly.

She smiled at him. "No. You'll be fine." _Probably. Hopefully._ She closed her eyes. _I on the other hand…_ She opened her eyes again and turned slightly to face Henry, letting go of his hand. She gave Peter a single nod.

Peter nodded in return and raised his hands. She gasped sharply as the mist entered her chest, it was cold. Like ice. She saw Henry wince, but he stared straight ahead in determination. Gold light began to lace through the tendrils of red mist, it twisted around Henry's limbs while black light wrapped around her.

Suddenly images and memories flew through her head, London, the streets, growing up in that awful place with it's smog and cruelty, then the shadow, Neverland, Peter, Felix, the Lost Boys, Rumplestiltskin, Regina…everything was there, happening all at once. Her past, her present, her life, her love…all right there…

And then all the sudden…it was gone. She was once more in the Chamber of Dreams, her body was entirely covered in black magic, Henry was coated in gold.

"This is it," she murmured. She looked at him. "All you have to do is grab my hands…that's all."

Henry's eyes were wide. "And then I can save magic?"

She nodded and smiled. "That's right. You'll be a hero." He reached out.

"Henry!"

She looked towards the entrance sharply as the Charmings, Regina, Neal and Hook all ran in at once.

"Stop this!" Emma shouted desperately. "Don't do it Henry!"

"But I have to," Henry said. "It's the only way to save magic."

"No it isn't!" Snow shouted. "Pan is lying to you!"

"Stop this Ven, please don't let him do it," Regina pleaded.

She looked down at her. "You can't stop it," Peter said, he looked to Henry. "They're just lying to you Henry, that's what adults do. But you can't let them stop you, you have to finish this. Save magic."

Henry looked from person to person, then finally to Ven.

"This is your choice Henry," she said. "I've already made mine." _I made it a long time ago._

Henry looked to his mother, both of them, then smiled.

"I love you both…but I have to save magic." Then he grabbed her hands.

A blinding light exploded between them, she heard herself scream as searing heat ripped through her chest, constricting around her heart. She could feel every spark, every tendril of magic that rippled through the air suddenly converge on her. It felt like she was going to explode.

Then the light disappeared and everything went black.

***Peter***

"VEN!"

Peter bolted forward the second Ven began to fall, catching her in his arms as Henry's family did the same. Her mismatched eyes were closed, her chest rose and fell gently.

"What have you done?!" Emma's panicked voice barely registered.

He brushed a lock of hair out of Ven's face. "It worked Ven. Wake up. Wake up-" The air suddenly vanished from his lungs and he flew back from Regina's solid magic blow.

He stood. "Regina stop!"

"What the hell did you do to my children?!" Regina screamed. "Tell me!"

He raised his hand and blocked the fire ball hurled his way. "That's enough! The magic is unstable enough as it is, your boundless rage won't help matters."

Regina stopped by Ven's side and knelt down. "Ven?" A hot rod seemed to pierce his chest as Regina touched Ven's forehead. She had no right to touch her. He waved his hand and Regina flew to the side.

Snow strung an arrow and David and Hook drew their swords, but just as they were about to attack time seemed to slow and come to a halt. Ven slowly rose from the ground, gold and black markings had risen along her arms and up her neck and face, her feet and visible legs were also marked.

"Enough…" the word was a mere whisper but it carried the power of it's speaker. Ven looked towards Henry. "He's alive… he'll be fine." She turned and their eyes met. He stared at her in shock, her brown eye now glowed white. She walked forward, hovering just above the ground, and stopped right before him. He tried to speak but the words refused to come out.

She stopped just shy of him, hovering there for a moment, then leaned forward and whispered in his ear.

"Make your choice." She took his hand and place it over her heart. "Take it…or don't. Choose."

He felt his limbs loosen and he regained full control just as the others did.

"What are you doing Ven? Get away from-"

Regina was cut off as Ven tilted her head and she suddenly flew back, slamming into the wall and eliciting the concern of her friend.

Ven looked back at him and raised a hand to his cheek. A chill tingled against his skin at her touch.

"Choose."

He didn't released her gaze as his hand entered her chest, she gasped slightly but her gaze never wavered. He slowly removed his hand, her beating heart coming with it. Only then did he drop his gaze to the glowing red soul in his hand. Red, blue, white, gold, black, it was every color imaginable all meshed together.

All those years, the history between them, the people in the room, The Chamber, Skull Rock, Neverland…it all seemed to fade and disappear until it was just them. Just Peter and Ven.

Just a lost boy and a lost girl.

" 'The most important person in my life'," he murmured.

 _Ba-dum…ba-dum…ba-dum…_ Her heart beat steadily. The sand lowered further. The end was approaching. _Choose. Life…or love?_

He leaned forward until their foreheads touched, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close.

"What are you doing?" Ven asked. "You have it. Use it. You're running out of time."

He suddenly replaced her heart, back to it's rightful place. "How could I lose the only one keeping me alive?"

"Your choice…?"

He stepped back. "I would rather lose a thousand lives than take yours."

The other people watched them, Regina took a step forward, but then all of the sudden a mass of black flooded the room, cackling rebounded off the walls as the darkness intensified.

"What's that?"

"Who's there?"

"The light is gone!"

"This magic…"

"No."

"AHAHAHAHA! SO THAT'S YOUR CHOICE BOY?! AFTER ALL THIS TIME YOU THROW AWAY THE GREATEST POWER IN THE WORLD!?"

He grabbed Ven's hand, pushing her behind him.

He uttered a single word. "Mim."

The shadows converged and shuddered, coming to form the cackling old witch. Regina's eyes widened in recognition.

"No…"

"Oh yes deary! I'm the mad mad madame Mim!" she screeched with horrific delight. The witch spun around and around. "I thought I could count on you for something interesting! A tragic tale from start to finish." Then she stopped, turning slowly to stare at him with her beady black eyes. "But then you had to go and ruin it…you humans and your nasty emotions."

"Who are you?" Emma asked.

Mim rounded on the blond. "Why I'm Madame Mim! And you're the Savior…HA! How deplorable! Disgusting little ingrate, you should just go and DIE!"

"NO!"

Regina slammed her foot down and a wall rose up to block the blast of black magic that shot towards Emma.

"Get Henry out of here!" Regina shouted at them.

"Oh shut up mosquito!" Mim screeched, she jumped up and down. "Shut up shut up shut up!" They cried out and slowly sank to the ground. Mim turned back towards Ven and Peter, the only ones standing.

"This wasn't part of the deal Mim," he said, shielding Ven. "What are you doing here?"

Mim giggled madly. "I wanted to bring them down, all of them! All of the disgusting little _heroes_! You were supposed to kill them when you got the power! But this interesting story is gone because you fell victim to the horrifyingly beautiful thing called _love_ ," she sneered. He backed up.

"Stay back." Ven was too stunned to move.

"So I'm going to make things more interesting," Mim screeched. "I'm going to take that little precious…AND BREAK HER! Shadow to me!"

 _BA-THUMP!_

His heart slammed against his ribcage.

 _…_ _plink…_

The final grain of sand falling sounded like an explosion…and then in a single instance…the hourglass shattered!

* * *

 **AAAHH! CLIFFHANGER!**

 **Hehehe... I love cliffhangers. When I'm the one writing them anyway.**

 **Just ta let ya'll know, the AN offer thingy I posted is still up, but ya better send in suggestions quick, I'm pounding out these last chapters!**

 **Also thank you to Laura and the two guests that reviewed! They mean a lot! And to the rest of you, I love feedback from you guys so please, for the love of my sanity (eh who am I kiddin'? I've never been sane) REVIEW!**

 **See ya'll next week! Sayonara!**


	10. Chapter 10

**MERRY CHRISTMAS! Hey guys! I am uploading on time life is good and I'm going dancing tonight! Ok that last part was unnecessary but hey, I'm excited. Anyway, here's the next chapter (obviously) enjoy and Merry Christmas!**

 **We ended with a cliffhanger last time, no promises for the end of this time :P**

* * *

 **Chapter 9:** **Fragmented**

Glass rained down, slicing across her arms and face but she ignored it, focused solely on Peter. She hugged him to herself tightly. _No no no this can't be happening! Peter!_

"Peter!" _You idiot why didn't you take it!_ Tears streamed down her face. "Why didn't you just take it," she sobbed. "Why?! I was ok with it, I was ok with dying for you!"

 _I WOULD HAVE DIED FOR YOU!_

"Ven look out!" Regina ran forward and raised her arms, Mim's magic slammed against Regina's barrier and the entire island shook. "Get out of here! I can't hold it for long!"

"Leave me alone," she sobbed. _Why Peter?_

"No no no! I still need you deary!" Mim screeched.

"What do you want?" Ven shouted, her voice breaking. "Why are you doing this?"

"Well at first I wanted a little fun, but then I wanted to intervene, and now I figure I'll just take what's ripe for harvest." She cackled. "Give me your heart little girl! You won't be needing it soon."

She stood, fire blazing around her feet, the markings pulsed brightly. "NO!" She raised her hands and bright white magic shot out, reinforcing Regina's barrier. "Emma take your parents and Henry and get out of here!" she shouted. She held no love for any of them, but they had no idea what was going on and they would only get in the way. "Hook and Neal too, leave before this place gets obliterated!"

"But-"

"Just do it!" Regina interrupted.

The blond nodded and rose from her son's side. In only a few moments they had retrieved Henry and disappeared down the passage.

"Leave me Regina," she said.

"No."

Ven winced as Mim's magic stung her.

"We can't keep this up," Regina said. "She's too powerful. We just have to hold her off as long as possible."

"Why?" The question appeared in her mind. "Why should I?" she asked. Her tears had dried and crusted against her face. "I've already lost what's most important to me so why should I care what happens? It's not like I have anyone else that cares." She looked at him. "He was the only one."

Regina stared at her. "Ven…you don't have to die. Please don't say that."

"Why do you care?" she spat, wincing again.

"Because I don't want to lose you now that I've found you."

 _I don't want to lose you…_ Those words, those words so often sought after and wanted in the heart of her deepest wants and needs, those words that were only spoken by one person in her entire life. His dirty blond hair, the bright green eyes, the scar just behind his left ear and the burn on his ankle, she knew every part of him from head to toe. She'd been willing to sacrifice herself…and now? Now he was gone.

"Mother and daughter… how disgustingly touching!"

She snapped back to Mim. "How do you know that?!" she shouted.

Mim cackled, her hate-crazed eyes rolling back and forth. "I know it all! You see I'm all alone so I had to find some way to entertain myself! Hahahaha! So I utilized a tiny little tear." Her eyes widened. Mim grinned. "Oh yes dear little Ven…all those years ago."

Regina stared, her eyes as wide as Ven's, filled with shock and horror. "You did this?"

Mim tip toed forward, leering at them through the cracked barrier. "Let me show you…"

The barrier shattered and magic swirled around them both, tugging them back and showing them images and memories, events that reached back to the beginning…

… _The beautiful black haired woman knelt at the neatly kept little grave, she was dressed in a silken black dress, her lovely tresses pulled up in a low bun with little blue forget-me-nots entangled within it. She brushed her fingers against the stone._

 _"_ _Oh Daniel…I wish you were here," she whispered. "If only you could see her my love." In her arms held close to her chest was a beautiful little baby. The woman pressed a kiss to the child's head and she opened her eyes revealing little mismatched orbs of blue and brown. The baby cooed happily, her soft black hair framing her chubby face._

 _The woman smiled though tears filled her eyes. The past nine months had been stressful and worry filled, so many lies and excuses had left her tongue to evade discovery as she hid within the confines of the Winter Palace, avoiding her mother, new husband and stepdaughter._

 _"_ _I'm sorry I couldn't save you-" She was cut off by a loud thunderclap. Her eyes rose to the sky as dark brooding clouds drew near. She stood and covered her child with the black veil around her shoulders. She touched her fingers to her lips and placed them on the headstone before heading back to the horse that waited patiently on the road._

 _"_ _Regina!" She spun around in shock and panic as another woman approached rapidly. The woman's plump lips were pulled back in a disapproving frown and her perfectly dusted eyebrows were furrowed._

 _"_ _Mother—"_

 _"_ _How dare you!" Cora gestured to the child. "After everything I've done for you you have dared betray me!"_

 _"_ _No mother it isn't like that," she pleaded._

 _"_ _That monster—"_

 _"_ _No. No she isn't. She my precious child."_

 _"_ _No she is not. She is the child of a stable boy and you shan't have her!"_

 _"_ _Mother—"_

 _"_ _You are a queen now and no Queen should need bear the child of a lowly stable hand." Cora's eyes narrowed. "You have been lying to me from the start and I have allowed for it lest the royal family grow wise to your unfaithfulness, but the game ends."_

 _Tears trembled in her blue eyes. "Mother please, she's my child."_

 _Cora raised her chin. "You are a Queen and you are my daughter! Now give me the child now."_

 _"_ _But mother—"_

 _"_ _Now Regina!" The shout made her wince. "You will not destroy everything I have worked to build for you."_

 _She swallowed thickly. "But she's my baby."_

 _Cora scoffed. "No. She's the child of a stable boy, she belongs with some miller, not in the arms of a Queen. You have a daughter. Snow is your daughter now and King Leopold is your husband."_

 _"_ _But I don't want that," she said, looking at the beautiful eyes of her child. "I want my baby."_

 _The sky rumbled plaintively._

 _Cora grew quiet as she walked forward. "My daughter, I want only the best for you. And I want the best for your child. She will not do well as the illegitimate daughter of a Queen, she will be looked down upon and cast down."_

 _Was it true? Regina looked down at her baby. Her precious child would never be accepted by the court, but that was ok. She was her baby and Daniel's. She was hers, not Cora's, not the court, not Leopold's._ Her _child._

 _"_ _No mother," she murmured. "She is my daughter."_

 _"_ _And what will you do when she asks for daddy?" Regina's eyes widened. "And what will Snow say when she sees a stepsister, a stepsister hidden by lies. And what will all the kingdom think when they learn that the child of an affair is being harbored by the royal family?"_

 _Cora stepped forward. "Regina, as much as you love it, it shall do you no good and you shall do it no good. She will never have a place. And you cannot leave, where would you go? Could you support a child on your own?"_

 _"_ _But—"_

 _"_ _Think about what's good for her, she needs to be with people who will have the time to love her, with people like her."_

 _Her blue eyes centered on the mismatched orbs of her little one._

 _Cora reached out and slowly extracted the little one from her mother's arms. A soft mewing sound came from the pink face, the child suddenly too weak to cry._

 _"_ _You cannot have her. Trust me Regina. This is for the best." Cora turned away._

 _"_ _No… no mother." Regina stood. "Mother please no, I want my baby, I don't care what happens-"_

 _She was cut off by a massive crash other lightning as it tore across the sky. Thunder rumbled in the heavens and hot rain suddenly ravaged the earth in heavy torrents. Visibility was was almost null, Regina shouted for her mother, for her child, but her voice was ripped away by the wind._

 _Lightning suddenly slammed into the ground a mere fifteen feet away from her, throwing her back._

 _A hand grabbed her wrist._

 _"_ _Mother!" she had to shout at the top of her lungs to be heard above the storm._

 _"_ _Hurry Regina!" The voice was faint, but present. She got to her feet, stumbling._

 _"_ _My baby, where's my baby?!" she shouted._

 _"_ _Run!"_

 _"_ _No! No my daughter!"_

 _"_ _Your daughter is gone! Run!"_

 _"_ _No… NO!"_

But the images didn't stop there.

 _In the heart of the raging storm the baby cried, swirling around, the pendant around her neck glowing brightly, a light in the darkness. Then the storm constricted, converging on the pendant and in a single moment the storm vanished…taking the child with it._

Ven and Regina both stared, frozen as the images melted away. Mim cackled in delight at their shocked expressions.

"Your glorious mother let go of little Ven, it really was the perfect time to get rid of her, but I thought it'd be more interesting if she was sent back in time through the storm to little old London," Mim said. "Now do you see the glorious me?! You should thank me! I saved your li-"

"YOU MONSTER!" A blast of magic slammed into the cackling old witch. Ven stepped forward, an aura of pure rage radiated from her small body. "I spent my whole life wondering why why would my own mother let me go! Why was I abandoned?! Why am I alone?! But it was you! You sent me off to a strange land without any hope of return just for fun?! I'll kill you-"

"What a gorgeously horrible reaction," Mim screeched happily. "To me my demon!" The Shadow, the demon, that had brought her to the island so long ago flew up and landed behind Mim. "You see?! It was all me! I brought you here! Pan, the foolish boy, he thought he could use me like he uses everyone else, but no! I was so delighted when Rumple decided to sell him to me that it made me giddy! But then he had to go and kill himself after everything I'd done to get him the Heart of the Truest Believer! But no matter I'll just take it for myself, I'll take your heart I'll take your pendant I'll destroy everything you love!"

 _It was her all along. She's the reason Peter is dead._

"You killed him," she whispered. "You killed the only person I love. I have nothing left to lose."

Mim giggled madly. "Oh you humans are so stupid…nothing left to lose? What about the Lost Boys, Felix…your home."

Mim stretched out a hand and a rope of black magic shot out and entered her chest. She screamed as pain ripped through her body. She thought she heard Regina call her name but then Mim wave her other hand and the woman flew back.

"I'LL DESTROY YOU!"

"You…you can't…take my heart," she gasped. "P-Peter protected…me…"

Mim laughed. "Foolish girl! I'm the one who gave your lover his magic and I can undo it! Your heart…IS MINE!"

The white and black glow that had fueled her suddenly vanished. Mim squawked loudly, rising into the air.

"Yes…! Yes! Finally!" She looked at them, her eyes were solid black and white. "Don't worry little girl, soon you won't have _anything_ left!" She cackled again and flew from the Chamber, mad giggles and the black Shadow following behind her.

Regina stumbled towards Ven, holding her pained side with one hand. "Ven…" She fell to her knees beside the girl. "Are you alright?" She was still, so terribly still.

The dust seemed to settle, fractures ran up the walls of the cave, the hourglass lay scattered around the cave in pieces. Pan was still on the floor of the cave, unmoving, his skin already beginning to pale in death. And here, lying before her, was the one whom she'd always loved.

Tears filled her eyes and she touched Ven's forehead. "Please Ven…not you too. Please wake up." She cupped the girl's face in her hands and touched her forehead with her own. "Wake up!" She forced her own magic into the girl, making her body spasm. Slowly, oh so devastatingly slowly, her chest rose and fell. Her eyelids fluttered open. "Ven?"

A low groan escaped the pale lips and Ven's eyes fluttered open.

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Ven…you're alright. I was afraid you were dead."

She slowly sat up. "W-where's Mim?"

"She's gone, I don't know where."

Ven's eyes widened. "Oh no. I know where she is. She's going to the Falls."

She looked at her in confusion. "The Falls?"

Ven tried to stand, leaning against Regina. "The water fall on the other side of the island, Skull Rock may be the heart of magic of Neverland but the Falls is the physical center of this island. She's going to destroy Neverland."

Regina's mind flashed to Henry, Emma and all the others. If the island was destroyed they would die.

"What do we do?" she asked.

Ven ignored the question, stumbling over to Peter. She gathered him in her arms, murmuring his name over and over as she rocked back and forth. Then she suddenly stopped and looked at her.

"How am I alive?" she asked.

Regina walked closer. "I transferred some of my magic to you to revive you."

Ven's eyes widened. "Then…maybe…I can still save him!"

Ven pressed her lips to Peter's cold ones. "I'll save you yet." She turned to Regina. "My magic is gone, I need you to do something for me."

Regina nodded. "Anything."

She set him down gently and stood. "I want you to remove my heart."

Regina's eyes widened. "What?!"

"There's no time to argue! Mim destroyed the protection Peter put around it so you'll have no trouble, I want you to take out my heart." She could still feel the pain in her chest. "Mim tore the magic from my heart, it no longer contains the magic of 'Heart of the Truest Believer' but it still contains remnants of Peter's protection as well as my life magic. I want you to take it out."

"But I can't! What if-"

"I don't care!" Her hands shook. "I have to do this, please help me…Regina, please."

Regina stared at her in shock and heartbreak. "Ven…" then she closed her eyes, covering her mouth, after a moment that felt like eternity her eyes opened once more and she stepped closer. "Alright. I'll be as gentle as possible."

Ven steeled herself as she felt Regina's hand enter her chest. _I can still save him_. She bit back a cry of pain as her heart left her chest. She took the pulsing red object and knelt beside Peter.

"What are you going to do?" Regina asked.

She gazed at his pale face. "I'm going do what I always planned on doing…I'm going to give it to him." And before Regina could answer she snapped her heart in half. Pain tore through her body and she cried out, but she resisted it. She set the half-heart against his chest and pushed it in, pushing her own half back in as she did so.

She searched his face. "Peter…please come back to me." The fear she'd been holding back rose up, she held him tightly. "Wake up! Please wake up!" Those ugly tears once again rolled down her cheeks, she hugged him to her chest. "Wake up!" she shouted. "You can't leave me! You promised!" Her shoulders shook with the sobs that racked her small frame. She bent low, touching her forehead to his chest. "You…promised." She leaned over and kissed him. "I thought I could save you…I thought it would be enough." Her tears dripped onto his face. "I…love you."

"I…love you too."

Her eyes snapped open. "Peter!" She hugged him tightly. "You're alive," she whispered, tears of sadness turning to tears of joy. "You're alive…"

"I'm sorry to interrupt your reunion but we need to do something," Regina said.

Ven helped Peter stand up, her own strength having replenished a bit.

"What happened after the hourglass broke?" Peter asked. "Actually first how am I alive?"

"I did what I always planned to, I gave you my heart," Ven said. Peter's eyes widened. "Only half though, as for Mim, she…" Ven swallowed tightly. "Mim took my magic, she's on her way to the Falls right now. She plans to destroy Neverland."

"Why is she even doing this?" Regina asked. "It makes no sense for the enemy of Merlin in Neverland in the first place?"

"Mim lives to sow chaos," Peter replied. "Merlin locked her away in a dimension outside of space and time centuries ago, I don't know how she's here now."

Ven's eyes widened slightly. "I think I do. Peter, the demon that confined you to the island, it's Mim's minion," she said. "I think…I think the magic storm that Mim showed us is what freed her."

"It's more than possible," Regina agreed. "Magic storms 'shake' the bonds of magic."

"None of that matters right now," Peter said. "If this island is destroyed everyone dies."

"But we can't defeat her," she said. "Mim took my magic and your magic was hers, or rather her demon's, to begin with and Regina can't defeat her alone."

Peter took a deep breath. "I have someone who can help." Ven stared in surprise as Peter retrieved none other than Pandora's Box from a rock a ways away.

"Who do you have in there?" Regina asked cautiously.

Peter waved his hand over the top. "Someone that can help us." It shifted and opened, red mist drifted from the box and came away to reveal Rumplestiltskin.

"Gold?" Regina exclaimed.

Rumple looked around, then focused on Peter. "Pan," he snarled.

Ven stepped in front of him and Regina in front of her.

"That's enough Rumple," Ven said. "There's no time to explain but we have to go quickly. Madam Mim is on her way to the heart of the island's magic to destroy Neverland, we have to stop her and we need your help."

Rumplestiltskin looked at Regina. "Is this true?" The black haired woman nodded.

"Ven and I have lost our magic," Peter continued. "Mim took it, we need to stop her from destroying the island."

"And why should I help you?" Rumple sneered.

"Because you're one of the idiots on the island!" Ven snapped. "If you don't help everyone dies! Including your son and grandson, do you want that?"

Rumplestiltskin was silent for a moment, then growled softly. "Fine," he barked. "What's the plan?"

* * *

Emma cast a worried glance over Henry, he was still asleep but other than that he appeared to be fine. He was breathing steadily and there wasn't a scratch on him. If Ven was to be trusted, which she wasn't, he would be fine. But at that moment the island shook to it's core and a wave of magic spread over them.

"What was that?" David asked, drawing his sword.

"That was Mim," a voice said.

Everyone looked up as four people stepped out of a portal. Regina, Rumplestiltskin, Ven and Peter Pan.

She drew her sword along with her father, Hook and Neal, Snow had her arrow leveled at them as well.

"Get away from them Regina," Emma said.

"Lower your weapons," Regina replied. "The situation has changed."

"In what way? Those two tried to kill us all!" Snow exclaimed.

"False," Ven said. "We had a goal that you were interfering with. That is all. Our goal was never to harm any of you." Silence. "Felix!" she barked.

"Don't talk to me like that witch," the boy replied, standing and sauntering forward. Regina raised her hand and waved them off as they prepped to attack.

Felix walked up to Pan, who cut his bonds. "As much as I hate to admit it we need to work together," Pan said firmly.

"No way!"

"Are you insane?"

"Not in a million years!"

"That's enough!" Regina said. "Madam Mim is on her way to the center of magic of the island at this very moment with the intent to destroy Neverland."

Gasps rippled through the clearing.

"We need to defeat her or we all die," Rumplestiltskin said. "She's more powerful than any one of us so we have to work together to defeat her."

Silence hung in the clearing. The animosity that had built up over the past dangled like a knife over rope.

Then Emma stepped forward. "If it keeps Henry safe I'll do anything."

"I'm in."

"Fine."

"Alright."

"I guess."

"I guess I'm in too then."

Hook, Neal, Tinkerbell, David and Snow all stepped in too.

"What do we have to do?" Tinkerbell asked.

"Tinkerbell, Neal, David and Snow are going to help Felix get everyone onto the _Jolly Roger_ , we'll fly out of here with this," Ven said, tossing Tinkerbell something. Tink stared at it in surprise.

"Is this pix crystal?" she asked in wonder.

Ven nodded. "Yes. I've been saving it for a long time. Use it."

"In the meantime Emma, Hook and the rest of us will face Mim. Before you argue about the placement Ven and I need to regain our magic, Emma, Regina and Rumple have magic and Hook has history facing magic users," Pan said. "We leave immediately. Leave everything boys, get on the ship and get out of here, we'll meet you there."

Ven took a deep breath as they approached the cavern. The plan was simple but difficult, Mim was more powerful than ever with her heart, or at least the magic from it. Mim was almost a deity with her incredible power and proficiency with the dark arts.

"Are you sure about this Peter?" she whispered. He nodded. She glanced back at the other magic users that followed them. They were watching them closely, perfectly fine with them going ahead. There was no trust among them. Peter went first, followed by Ven, then Regina, then Emma, then Hook and finally Rumplestiltskin bring up the rear.

"It's amazing that only hours ago we were enemies," she said.

"We still are," Peter replied grimly. "Now we just have a common foe."

Peter knew the caves well and he knew how to control the traps and mazes it set, he knew them even better than Ven did, he would get them to the center of the island physically and with each tremor and skid she knew that Mim grew closer and closer to the utter obliteration of the island.

"If you betray us I'll kill you," Rumplestiltskin said for the second time. "And don't think that once this is finished and Mim is destroyed you'll go down as well."

Ven turned to speak but Regina cut her off.

"No one is killing anyone until everyone is safely off this damn island," she stated firmly. "That includes both Ven and Pan." She muttered the last name grudgingly.

Ven was surprised by it, wondering silently if Regina didn't have another plan for the two of them. She shook the thought from her head. Regina had abandoned her. She had seen it with her own eyes, she had let her go, given a mere child to her mother, a woman that killed the man she loved. She let her go.

* * *

They walked the rest of the journey in silence, Ven's eyes remained slightly fixed upon the scar right behind Peter's ear. She remembered the day she gave it to him with startling clarity…

 _"_ _I swear Peter if you throw another fireball at m—"_

 _Peter cut her off with a hot, blazing ball of magic, which she caught and dispersed in pure annoyance._

 _"_ _Peter!" she snapped._

 _He just laughed, juggling a few flames in his hands. "Come now Ven, now's not the time for contemplation, the sun is out, the water is sparkling and yet here you sit even amidst the perfect magic conditions."_

 _She just shot him a look of irritation. "Peter I don't want to play." Don't get her wrong, she enjoyed the peaceful moments with neither Hook or Baelfire or even Felix to destroy it, but she disliked them when Peter was being the sort of prick he was._

 _He tossed another fireball and she caught it, crushed it, and leapt to her feet with her sword in hand. He ducked the first swing._

 _"_ _Whoa! Where on earth were you hiding that?" he exclaimed, dodging another one. She teleported back and grabbed a second blade, both of which had been hidden behind her seated form, and tossed it to him._

 _"_ _You want to play? Fine, but no more magic for today," she said with a smirk. The surprised look in his eyes was what she lived for._

 _He caught the sword and blocked her next attack._

 _"_ _Oh you trickster you, I suppose I have only myself to blame," he said, parrying a thrust and backing away as they fought with practiced footwork._

 _"_ _Indeed you should," she replied, ducking one of his attacks and hitting him in the stomach with the hilt of her blade. He coughed slightly and struck downward, she dropped to the ground, rolled and leapt to her feet in time to block the next attack._

 _"_ _You've gotten quite good," he remarked._

 _She smirked. "The goblins of the east forest are wonderful teachers."_

 _He chuckled. "So that's where you've been going."_

 _She parried and blocked. "Well I have to be able to beat you at something."_

 _And beat him she did, as their battle wore on he suddenly slipped, his perfect footing faltering and she took the opportunity, lunging forward for a head strike, his eyes widened and he turned to the side to dodge as he tried to keep his balance and the blade knicked across his skin, drawing blood as he regained balance._

 _She spun her blade and smirked. "Want some more?"_

 _Peter chuckled slightly. "My dear Ven, I am no fool." He swung his blade down and bowed. "Today I cede victory." Then he looked up and smirked. "Tomorrow you may not be so lucky…"_

It was amazing what one thought of in times of danger.

She forever smiled at the scar, at first because it told her Peter, though powerful, was very human, but later it was because it spoke of the fun they had together, even while fighting and even if one of them was mildly injured.

Then her smile fell away, for she knew full well the chances of her walking out of this battle alive were very slim indeed…

* * *

 **Tada! Next chapter on it's way next week.** **My Christmas present to you... a chapter on time. And to those of you following Demigods and Hunters there is a Christmas** **special that will be uploaded within a few days featuring (of course) the Winchesters, with guest stars Charlie and Nico!**

 **I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and that we don't forget that the true purpose of this holiday is the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ.**


	11. Chapter 11

**I'M SO SORRY. I know it's been a long time and I'm sorry but things have been really hectic for me plus an awful writer's block. But I'm back in the game again! I shattered my massive writer's block and I'm flying towards the finish line! Please read and review and above all enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 10:** **Forgive or Fall**

The tunnels stretched on like an unending paths of darkness. All that kept them from stumbling off to be lost forever was Pan, someone Regina was nowhere near ready to trust. The tension amongst the group was nearly palpable, united by Mim as they were the battle to come would possibly kill them all if they didn't work together.

Regina watched as Ven walked before her, the black hair swishing softly against her narrow back. Her blue eyes traced the pale scars that lay scattered over the girl's tanned skin. Scars that shouldn't have been there. She should never have given her away. She knew that and she had regretted it every day since.

But would that be enough?

Ven had been unbearably cold to her, in fact to everyone. She stood next to Pan, her trust in him astonishing and seemingly unbreakable. Of course they had spent nearly two hundred years together. Though time was a fickle thing in Neverland.

She tapped Ven's shoulder, gaining her attention, she was met with a glare. She risked the glare and slowly dropped to the back of the line amidst curious glances from Emma and Hook, hoping the black haired teen would follow her.

Thankfully Ven did, dropping back until they were walking two abreast.

"What do you want?" Ven asked, her voice low.

"Ven, we're going into a battle we may not escape from," she said. "I-I don't want to lose you-"

"Don't Regina." Her voice was as cold as her stare. "Don't, after all these years, pretend to care."

"But I do care." She was aware that her voice was pleading, but she didn't care. She couldn't take losing her daughter again and not being able to tell her how much she loved her. "I care, I love you so much. I'm so so sorry, I thought it would be the best thing for you, my mother-"

"Don't shift the blame. _You_ gave me up. _You_ handed me over to the despicable woman you called mother. _You_ lost me."

"And I have regretted it every single day of my life. I promise you. I'm so so sorry. I care about you so much-"

Ven halted, turning to face her. "Ok. So maybe you do." The mismatched eyes narrowed. "But _I_ don't." She felt her heart break. "Listen to me Regina and listen well because I'll only say it once. _I was alone._ I was alone and afraid for my entire excuse for a child. I have lost everything… but I have also gained everything. I have a place here, a family. Neverland is my home and Peter is my love." Ven raised her chin. "I am not a broken child crying for 'mummy', not anymore. I don't need you anymore."

Regina watched as she turned to retake her place beside Pan. She bowed her head, struggling to hold back tears.

 _You are my daughter…_

* * *

Ven clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles were white. She realized her hands were shaking and she hated it. _Damn you Regina._ She had been managing to suppress her warring feelings but Regina had brought them forth with only a few words. She had to get ahold of herself.

 _I hurt her._ She grit her teeth. _She abandoned me. Screw the circumstances, she let me go._ She shoved down the guilt. _But you hurt her._ She had been cruel. And she had enjoyed it. It felt good to finally say what had been grinding away at her for years.

 _But you hurt her._

"Ven are you alright?" Peter's voice was a mere murmur.

She gave a nod. "Oh yes, wonderful. Our magic is gone, our enemies are walking behind us and Mim is about to destroy the island."

Peter surprised her with a soft chuckle. "Your sarcasm never ceases to amaze me m'dear."

She sighed. They walked in silence for a few moments, the distinct sound of footsteps hitting stone echoed through the cave.

"You snapped your heart in half."

She looked at Peter. "So?"

He looked at her. " _So? So?_ " he echoed. "Good god woman! You could have died!"

She shook her head despairingly. "Oh Peter, if I had a fourpence for every time I've heard or thought that."

Apparently the immortal hadn't managed to wrap his head around that particular detail quite yet.

"How much further?" Rumplestiltskin snapped.

"We're almost there," Peter replied levelly. She was astonished at the way Peter managed to… _forgive_ his brother. Rumple had sold him to Mim for Neverland's sake! But she knew not to take Peter's expressions at base value, he was master of emotion control, nearly. He could say one thing and be feeling something entirely different.

Ven placed a hand over the pendant around her neck, only to find it wasn't there.

She bit her lip hard. _I can't do this. I can't do this._ She didn't have her magic. She couldn't do it.

"Calm down," Peter murmured.

She glanced at Peter, his eyes were front but his voice was gentle.

"How…?"

"Your heart-rate is accelerating, alarmingly so."

She frowned curiously. "Can you… feel my heart?" _His heart too now._

He held a finger to his lips as a low rumbling sounded.

"What's going on?" Emma pushed to the front. "What is that noise?"

Peter hissed a word of silence at her. "That's the sound of the falls. We're almost to the center," he said. "Does everyone know what you're doing?"

Nods all around.

"Good. We need utter silence." They continued.

Slowly the rumbling grew to a roar, and from a roar they rounded a bend and came in sight of a massive waterfall that thundered down over the exit of the cavern. The light that filtered in was contaminated by dark shadows and a loud explosion sounded above the rumble of the falls.

Peter held up a hand, then nodded.

 _Go. The unspoken word. The herald. The signal. This was it._ Ven took a deep breath. _This is it. It's do or die now._ One chance. That was all she had. If she failed they all died. _One chance._

She met Peter's eyes once more, then she ran forward and leapt straight into the roaring falls.

* * *

 **I know I know short chapter but the next ones coming ASAP!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey look an update, whaddya know? I guess miracles really do happen. Last chapter was pretty short but this one is longer so enjoy!**

 **I do not own any OUAT characters except Ven**

* * *

 **Chapter 11:** **Storm…**

Emma felt the magic spark at her fingertips as she slipped out of the cavern at the side of the waterfall. Gold, Hook and Regina all followed closely while Peter went out the other way. For some reason she found herself searching for Hook, his eyes were narrowed and his mouth set in grim determination.

"You know we might not make it out of this one," she remarked.

Hook cracked a smile. "Don't worry love, I've been in worse scrapes than this."

Her own smile felt hollow. _No you haven't_ she wanted to say, but she didn't. She just nodded and tightened her hands into fists at her sides.

Magic crackled around them and the air thickened.

"So you've come to meet your fate?" A voice screeched, bouncing off the walls of the pit and echoing eerily like a recording not properly aligned. Mim, the witch, appeared before them, flying in the air as black and white magic both swirled around, the white rapidly being overtaken by the dark.

She held up her hands and felt her magic pulse to block the black lightning that shot towards them. Hook fired off several shots from a gunpowder pistol he'd found in the lost boy's camp. Apparently stories weren't the only things Peter had brought back from his other-realm travels.

Gold joined her, reinforcing her shield and shooting out arch of magic. Regina's own magic joined the fray and for a moment she saw fear flicker in the mad eyes of Mim.

Then she cackled. "My Shadow!"

The Shadow flew towards them, grabbing at Hook, but the pirate ducked, shooting bullets through the black haze.

Emma kept up her shield and directed a mass of rocks at the shadow with her magic.

"Eyes on me dearie!"

Her eyes widened and she dove out of the way of a massive explosion of rocks, water and magic. Her foot slipped and she screamed, but then a hand grabbed hers.

"Emma!"

"Hook!"

The pirate pulled her up, but the Shadow flew up behind and grabbed Hook's shadow. She threw out her hands, white magic blasted from her palms and slammed into the shadow, sending it flying back.

"Thanks Emma."

"Look out!" Hook ducked and she blocked she magic bolts, then ducked as he shot off several shots.

"What in bloody hell is takin' Pan so long?" he shouted above the waterfall. She didn't answer, preoccupied with Mim.

Then she saw it. The flash of light from the corner of her eye.

"EVERYBODY DOWN!" She screamed, dropping to her knees and raising her hands. Regina's magic joined hers in a shield just as a massive explosion rent the air like thunder, shaking rocks from the pit and sending water blasting from orifices formed from the barrels of gunpowder taken from the _Jolly Roger_.

 _Earlier…_

"You want to do _what_?" Hook stared at Peter. "You're bloody mad! That's suicide!"

Peter raised an eyebrow. "So is challenging me and you did that and survived."

"Hook is right," Emma conceded. "Gunpowder won't effect Mim."

"Not necessarily." Regina tapped her lips musingly. "Mim may be powerful but she's not invincible, not yet anyway."

"An explosion of the size we could create with gunpowder from the _Jolly Roger_ will at the very least distract Mim long enough for me to get at her from behind," Ven said.

"But it will kill all of us," Gold said in exasperation. "It'll do no good if we're dead."

"If Regina and Emma can rig a shield strong enough we'll be protected," Ven said. "It will work."

"But you don't have magic," Regina said to Ven. "How will you take back your magic?"

Ven smirked. "It's _my_ magic. Even though I don't technically have magic anymore I'm still a magic adept. I can get it back, it's part of me. Once I have my magic back I can take the pendant, then all that's left will be to kill Mim and be done with it."

 _End._

Rumple had teleported the gunpowder to the top of the falls with plenty of materials to blow them up, and now rocks rained down around them but never hitting them.

 _Go Ven._

The smoke gradually cleared and they lowered the barrier. Then Emma's eyes widened and she froze.

"Hahahaha! HAHAHA! WELL DONE! NOW YOU GET TO DIE!"

"MOVE!"

Pan's shout was enough to shake them from the stupor and they dodged just in time to avoid the massive arch of black lightning.

"What…" she trailed off. "No…"

There stood Rumplestiltskin, his mottled hands raised and shielding Mim with a barrier of black magic. Ven lay crumbled on the rocks, unmoving. Peter was nowhere in sight.

"He's betrayed us!" she exclaimed.

"RUN!" he shouted above the roar.

"YOU FOOLS! YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD BEAT ME WITH MY OWN CREATION?" _No no no._ "I CREATED THE DARK ONE! I CONTROL IT!" She cackled loudly. "My Shadow! My Demon! Destroy them!" she shrieked.

Emma raised her hands just in time to block Gold's attack as Regina and Hook fought the Shadow and Mim simultaneously.

"Fight it Gold!" she shouted.

"I can't! I can't control anything!" he shouted back, desperation clearly visible in his eyes.

 _It's not over yet._

* * *

Ven felt the water pound upon her skin as it threatened to sweep her away but her hands latched onto the magic rope and she began her climb up. _Thank Neverland for all of the cliff-climbing and tree jumping_ , she couldn't help thinking as she rose higher. By the time she reached her destination halfway up the pit she was tired out and her arms sore. The battle raged far below.

How much time had passed? Had she missed the signal? She waited with baited breath. _Hurry Peter._ There! A flash of light at the top of the cliff. He was there. She flattened herself against the wall of the small inlay she rested in, clinging to the rocks as the explosion shook the entire island it seemed. Then she turned, said a prayer, and jumped into the cloud of dust. The rocks beneath her feet were gritted and known to her, many a day had she spent navigating the treacherous cliff face.

 _Stay with me Peter._ And she burst forward, straight at Mim, clouded by dust and magic. The black magic sparked against her skin but she ignored it, stretching out a hand. _My magic. Part of me._ She whispered coaxing words, she could feel it around her, she could feel it's draw. _Come to me._

"Come-" Her word turned to a scream as electricity shot through her body and everything went black.

She was out for mere seconds, but she could feel the wind pulling at her black locks and stinging her skin as she hurtled towards the ground so far below. Her magic was out of reach, Rumplestiltskin was under Mim's control and she was going to die.

 _Peter… I'm sorry._

"VEN!"

She forced her eyes open despite the wind and grabbed hold of the rope that was flung towards her, the fibers burned her hands and she slammed into the wall of the pit. But she was alive.

Then a stray shock of magic snapped the rope.

* * *

 _Damn you Mim. Damn you all._ Peter shouted her name as he tossed through the rock-weighted rope towards Ven. He saw her catch it and relief flooded him. He had watched in horror as Rumplestiltskin was overtaken and she fell, her magic lost.

But then the rope snapped. He swore Mim to hell with foul words acquired over two and a half centuries of life as he saw her hit the ledge and lie still.

 _This wasn't supposed to happen. She was supposed to get her magic. This wasn't suppose to happen. Please be ok. Please be ok._

The others were hard pressed fending off Rumple, the Shadow and Mim, but Mim wasn't paying attention to him. Why should she? He was powerless.

 _So she thinks._ He lashed the rope to a tree at the top with a few swift and practiced knots and tore off his shirt, wrapping it around his hands. _We're not done yet Ven._ He grabbed the rope and wasted no time at all, sliding all the way down to where Ven was.

"Ven—"

"I'm fine." Her voice was a murmur. "Come on Peter. One shot."

* * *

In that instant… Emma hated Gold. Absolutely hated him. He was a freakishly strong magic user, not to mention being the Dark One and the fact that he was currently under the control of Mim.

 _Come on Gold._

"Just a little bit longer…" she muttered through clenched teeth. Gold was fighting the control, maybe just enough for them to play the ace up their sleeve.

 _Earlier…_

"It won't work."

No one wanted to hear those words, but the grave manner in which Peter said them was unmistakable. He knew full well that this was no joke and they knew that.

"What won't work?" Emma asked.

"Killing Mim, it's not going to work," Peter reiterated. "That and the fact that because she created the Dark One dagger she can control Rumple."

"What?!"

"She created the dagger?"

"That's crazy!"

"Impossible."

"Shut up," Ven snapped with only mildly surprising authority. "It is very possible. She is practically the queen of chaos and darkness."

Peter nodded his agreement. "The Dark One dagger is one of the most powerful black magic tool in the history of magic in any realm. She infused massive amounts of power from a magic storm near a millennia ago."

"How long has she been alive?" Emma asked, appalled.

"She's as old as the Great Wizard and as powerful as the Apprentice," Peter said.

"Then let's just get the Great Wizard," she replied with a shrug.

Rumplestiltskin scoffed. "One does not simply 'get the Great Wizard Merlin'. He cannot be summoned like some fairy!"

Emma's eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Wait, _Merlin_ is the Great Wizard?"

"Who else would it be?" Peter asked, looking as annoyed as Rumple was.

Emma blinked once, twice. "Yeah. Sure. Of course. Makes total sense."

"Back to the matter at hand, we have to find a way to kill Mim," Ven said.

"The gunpowder will doubtless distract her, but it won't be enough, she'll just latch her hooks into Rumple and use him as a shield while continuing her attacks," Peter said musingly. "We need more than that."

"What about a magic inhibiter?" Regina suggested. "Not for Mim but for Gold. If Gold can fight her control enough to get an inhibiter on him we'll take him out of the fight, and if we get ahold of the coconut used to contain the Shadow that's minus two opponents."

The Shadow had escaped its confinement when Mim called it to her so they had to get it back in.

Peter allowed a small, devious smirk that was nothing but Pan. "I have just the thing." Her eyes widened fractionally and the smirk he wore spread to her.

"I see. You want to use Pandora's Box."

They had a shot. _One shot._

 _End._

Distraction, draw it out just long enough to make Mim think she was going to win, then trap her. Ven, Peter and Emma would advance and attack, the latter two distracting enough to where Ven could take her magic back and then they would entrap her and with their combined magic force destroy the box, forever sealing her within the endless abyss within the box. The plan? Simple? As hell. But with a little bit of luck it just might work.

Emma dodged another magic attack, groaning as she hit the ground. _I'm gonna feel that tomorrow._ She ducked. _If I live that long._ She flicked her wrists and tossed a ball of energy at Gold, then one at Mim. The mad witch cackled madly as it shattered against her barrier.

They didn't have much time left. A few more minutes and Mim really would be invincible. Then down came the island and they were all dead.

 _Don't think about that. Focus on the plan._ She backed up and her back hit Hook's.

"A lovely party inn't?" he remarked.

She smirked. "Oh this is nothing." They spun and dodged. "When we get back to Storybrooke I'm taking you to New York to show you a _real_ party."

"Please no 21st Century shit," he said.

"No promises."

A high pitched whine, followed by an explosion of rock set Hook and Emma running. _That's the signal._ She dove beneath Gold's slightly offset attack and slammed the bracelet on his wrist. His magic instantly dissipated. She looked over and saw Hook drag the Shadow into the coconut.

She looked up towards Ven, Peter and Regina, starting forward.

 _One shot._

* * *

The noises rattled around her head as she struggled to stay focused. _Stick to the plan. Stick to the plan. Stick to the plan._ She and Peter headed straight for the ledge where Regina stood, defending against Mim's brutal attacks. Emma was struggling up the cliffside but she was far less agile than Ven and Peter. Despite that she would be in time.

 _Almost there._

Images of Felix and the other Lost Boys flashed through her mind. She never thought she would think let alone say it aloud but…

"I'll protect you. I swear it."

That was when everything went to hell.

* * *

 **I know I know another cliff hanger but hey, two chapters in one day? I'd say that's pretty good. I'll try and get the next one up within a** **few days, promise.**

 **Please review! I read every single one!**


	13. Chapter 13

**I know I didn't update. I'm sorry. My only excuse is that life gets in the way and I have zero luck when it comes to calling collages and shit so... yeah.**

 **I'd like to thank VicaJoy for kinda... spurring me into finishing the story. I was in a hole when you PM'd me Vica and I don't think you know how that helped so thank you!**

 **Anyway I won't hold you up, enjoy the story!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any Once Upon a Time characters, just Ven**

* * *

 **Chapter 12:** **…** **and Sacrifice**

"ENOUGH!"

It happened in a split second. The lightning in the air, the rocks falling to the ground, the friends and enemies desperately working together to protect the people they held most dear… froze.

Ven couldn't move, no matter how she strained and struggled, it was like every muscle and nerve in her body was inert, she couldn't even feel the rocks against her hands that had been like sandpaper moments before.

Time… had stopped.

Ice cold realization hit her like a shock of lightning. _We're too late._ All of that planning. Working together and they were too late. _I made a mistake…_ She'd drastically underestimated how fast Mim could gather power, how powerful she already was. _I've doomed us all._

"You pathetic children think you can defeat me?!" Mim screeched. "It doesn't matter if you have a thousand men at your back! The Dark One, a demon, I would still defeat you! Don't you get it?!" Her screeching laughing resonated against the walls of the canyon. "YOU'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!"

 _I failed._

Mim's magic wrenched her from the cliff face and spun her to face Mim. She could see Rumple, frozen on the ground, Hook locked by stone into the cliff, Emma and Regina hovering in the air, trapped by bolts of crackling magic. And Peter. Just as she was only a few yards away, frozen by black magic, so close and yet so far away.

 _We're going to die because of me._

As though hearing her thoughts Mim screeched again. "YOU FAILED! FOR THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DIE IN AN ABYSS OF PAIN AND TERROR!" She slowly turned, red shown at the corners of her yellowing eyes and her pitch-black pupils shown with the crazed light of insanity.

Those eyes slowly locked onto Ven's mismatched orbs.

"You…" She floated forward, the black magic crawled up her legs and her chest, pulling at her heart. "The little street rat, the liar, the killer…" Mim grinned blackly. "You were supposed to be my greatest enjoyment! My entertainment, my tragedy with curtains as red as the blood that must be spilled! Toying with time, taking you from your mother, watching you grow black and rotten on the streets of the human world… and watching you grow closer and closer to death at the hands of the only person you truly loved… that is what I wanted. My beautiful tragedy!" Then her eyes widened and she screamed in rage. "BUT YOU RUINED IT!" The magic on her muscles vanished and she convulsed in pain as black lightning arced over her body.

"YOU RUINED MY PLANS BECAUSE OF THAT DISGUSTING LIE CALLED LOVE!"

"AAAHH!"

"BUT I'M STIL GOING TO FINISH IT! I SHALL SPEAK THE LAST WORDS OF THE TALE!"

Pain ripped through her with the lightning, tearing apart the very fabric of her being it seemed, ripping through her heart and pulling at her mind.

"DIE—"

"STOP!"

All at once the pain vanished.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!"

Her eyes snapped open. _Peter._

Mim turned towards him. "You dare to speak to me?!"

"Don't touch her!" Peter shouted. She felt her heart pulsating in her chest, forever linked to him.

"Pe-ter," she croaked. "S-top… pl-e-se… stop…"

"No! I won't stop! I will never stop protecting you Ven, not so long as there is breath in my lungs and your heart beating in my chest! I love you! I will protect you!"

 _She's going to_ —

"HAHAHA!" Mim cackled delightedly. "YOU?! Protect someone?! Well that's a riot! You were the one that spent so long planning to kill her, to take her heart for yourself and now you swear to protect her?! The irony!" Then she switched and her eyes took on a deadly glint, her voice dropping to a hiss. "You fool."

"Stop… Peter!" she exclaimed, having recovered just enough.

Mim started and looked at her, then looked back at Peter, then at her… then a smile spread over her wrinkled face revealing blackened teeth and tongue.

"If you love him so much…" she began. "Then…" she turned and floated towards him. "…he can die first."

"NO!"

Mim darted forward and grabbed Peter, her clawed hands encircling his neck.

"No sto—"

"AAH!" His scream of pain sent blood pounding against her ears in cold, bear panic amongst Mim's crazed laughter.

 _"…_ _You're good you know, at the game…"_

His body convulsed with the magic.

 _"…_ _we're both kept captive on this island by a demon…"_

She struggled desperately at the magic bonds around her wrists.

 _"_ _I'm only here to die!"_

"Hold on Ven!" They were trying to get to her but they couldn't. They weren't strong enough.

 _'_ _I would have died for you!'_

His eyes rolling back to show the whites.

 _"_ _The most important person in my life…"_

His body went limp. She could feel herself moving, she could sense that she was screaming, but inside… she felt nothing. Numbness washed over her… shock, despair…

Time seemed to slow as the clawed hand opened…

 _"_ _I…love you…too."_

 _No…_ He was… dead. _No…_ Falling… he was falling. _No. No._ Dead. _No._ Falling. _No._ Dead. _No_. Falling. _No._ Her…

Mim…

Everything shifted back into focused and her head slammed against her chest.

"NO!"

In a split second the bonds around her wrists and ankles shattered and more energy than she had ever felt in her life flooded her body! The energy exploded out from her and she dove down.

"PETEEER!"

Her arms wrapped around him and she held him tightly.

"No this can't be you—"

Magic slammed into Mim and sent her thudding against the cliff face to drop like a stone to the ledge.

"Peter? Peter talk to me!" she exclaimed, tears flooding her cheeks unbidden. "Peter open your eyes!" she shouted. "WAKE UP!"

His eyes remained closed and his cheeks were pale.

She bowed her head, her forehead touching his chest. Tears streaked down her dirty cheeks, mixing with the dust and blood.

"You can't… you… I love you…"

"Ven."

The voice sounded behind her, she could hear their footsteps as Rumple, Hook, Emma and Regina approached.

Regina stepped closer. "Ven is he…?"

 _Mim._

Anger flooded her very soul like a tidal wave, reverberating through her like the beat that had been in his chest. That still should be. She slowly raised her head.

"Ven?"

 _Mim…_

The rumble moved and the witch crawled to her feet.

"She is going to die."

* * *

How could it go so wrong so fast? One minute she had been finishing her tragedy with magic and flair, ending the drama, drawing the curtains with a flourish. She groaned, her eyelids fluttering. But then that _girl_. She gasped and glanced down at her arms, bruises shown against her deathly pale skin.

She was… hurt.

"How could she do…" she trailed off and sneered. "No. No one defeats the Mad Madam Mim," she hissed. "I'll kill—"

"—him."

She looked up. Then grinned. What a stroke of luck! There stood the girl, the heroine of the story, the destroyer of the story… and the tragedy. Standing right before her like a cake on a platter just ripe for the taking!

The little girl stood before her, her head hung down in defeat, her arms limp at her sides and her hair like rags around her face.

"You're a little fool for coming straight to me," she cackled, climbing to her feet and brushing dirt from her filthy dress. "More foolish than I thought."

She glanced over the ledge. "Looks like the tragedy is drawing to a close is it?" She grinned her rotten teeth at the corpse. "Your wittwe wover is dead…" she spun around. "… and you're n—ACK!"

Pain exploded in her chest as something bright and dark slammed into her, sending her over the ledge. She just barely gathered her magic around herself to break her fall on the ground.

"Wh-at?" She pushed herself up. _Such power…_ _I must kill her. I must have it back!_

 _"_ _You pathetic hag…"_ The voice reverberated through her, pulsating like a heart.

Her eyes widened.

The girl raised her chin.

"Y… eyes…"

 _"_ _You made a mistake to challenge me such,"_ the voice said. _"But your biggest mistake… was killing him first."_

One glowing black… one white. Magic… terrifying magic of both black and white. Dark and light. Fighting in unison. Rage emanated from her, permeating the air and growing thickly with the magic that formed like a misty barrier around them. White magic crackled and flashed through the black mist.

 _Dark and light._

It was…

"Monster." _A monster. A monster come to kill me. No… no I can't die. My story, my tragedy it isn't over!_

Then the monster took a step.

An earsplitting screech jarred her and she scrambled back in pure terror. "NO STOP!"

 _"_ _You… killed him!"_

Her back slammed against the wall. "PLEASE—"

"DIE!"

Blow after blow rained down, magic sliced her skin open, black blood oozed from the wounds and fire burned her skin. Boils appeared and shifted. Pain ripped through her and she screamed in pure, unadulterated agony.

"PLEASE STOP! STOP! DON'T KILL ME! STOP I BEG!"

"Ven stop! Stop enough!"

"That's enough!"

"Please stop!"

The magic thickened and pain ripped through her, she was slammed against the wall and slumped, all life draining from her limbs. The pain continued but she no longer had the strength to scream.

But then suddenly, as suddenly as it started, the barrage stopped. She sobbed and writhed on the ground in pain, gasping and gagging. A hand wrapped around her neck, scraping her against the rocks as she was dragged up.

"Enough Ven…"

 _My savior…_

She dared to looked up. The mother stood behind the girl. The girl's eyes… like orbs of pure magic… and tears fell from those orbs.

"She is defeated. There is no reason to go any further, he's—-"

"Yes, listen to her! Please."

The black and white eyes snapped to the witch.

Her eyes widened and she coughed. "Please…" she croaked. "Don't… kill me…" She gasped again. "Please… I'll… do anything…!"

 _"_ _Anything at all?"_ Those eyes…

She felt liquid trickle down her cheeks… blood.

"Anything in the entire universe."

Time stood still.

The hand loosened and hope, if one so rotten as her could even comprehend the emotion, spread through her chest. Maybe… just maybe… even monsters could feel pity. Maybe this monster would let her go. She could survive… just as she always had.

Those terrifying eyes of the monster looked at her as though staring into her soul… and the glow faded, the magic pulsing on the monsters skin fading with it until it was just her.

The monster. The girl. Ven.

The mismatched eyes, full of tears, the eyes of a child broken and shattered like glass, they stared at her as though seeing into her very soul.

"Anything," she repeated desperately.

Then those eyes narrowed. The tears on its cheeks tricked to her chin… and dropped.

"Then burn in hell for all eternity."

The witch's eyes widened in horror as fire roared up around her.

"NO! AAAAHH—"

 _Nothing._


	14. Chapter 14

**Uh... hi... I'm alive... Yes I know it's been a while. Too long. But I do have a good excuse. Between family stuff and attempting to fit half a semester of college math into two weeks I've been a little busy... yeah...**

 **Anyway I am very sorry about the wait but this time I swear I am going to finish this story! Yeah! Go enthusiasm...**

 **If you actually read the a/n kudos to you, if not, well, whatever.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT or their characters aside from Ven who is of my own creation. If I did the dialogue wouldn't suck.**

 **ON WITH THE SHOW, er, story. ON WITH THE STORY!**

* * *

 **Previously:**

 **Mim's POV**

How could it go so wrong so fast? One minute she had been finishing her tragedy with magic and flair, ending the drama, drawing the curtains with a flourish. She groaned, her eyelids fluttering. But then that girl. She gasped and glanced down at her arms, bruises showed against her deathly pale skin.

She was… hurt.

"How could she do…" she trailed off then sneered. "No. No one defeats the Mad Madam Mim," she hissed. "I'll kill—"

"—him."

She looked up at the voice. Then grinned. What a stroke of luck! There stood the girl, the heroine of the story, the destroyer of the story… and the tragedy. Standing right before her like a cake on a platter just ripe for the taking!

The little girl stood before her, her head hung down in defeat, her arms limp at her sides and her hair like rags around her face.

"You're a little fool for coming straight to me," she cackled, climbing to her feet and brushing dirt from her infinitely filthy dress. "More foolish than I thought." She glanced over the ledge at the body. "Looks like the tragedy is drawing to a close is it?" She grinned her rotten teeth at the corpse. "Your wittwe wover is dead…" she spun around. "… and you're n—ACK!"

Pain suddenly exploded in her chest as something bright and dark slammed into her, sending her over the ledge. She just barely gathered her magic around herself to break her fall on the ground.

"Wh-at?" She pushed herself up. Such power… I must kill her. I must have it back!

 _"You pathetic hag..."_ The voice reverberated through her, pulsating like a heart.

Her eyes widened. The girl raised her chin.

"Y… eyes…"

 _"You made a mistake to challenge me such,"_ the voice said. _"_ _But your biggest mistake… was killing him first."_

One glowing black… one white. Magic… terrifying magic of both black and white. Dark and light. Fighting in unison. Rage emanated from her, permeating the air and growing thickly with the magic that formed like a misty barrier around them. White magic crackled and flashed through the black mist.

Dark and light.

It was…

"Monster." A monster. A monster come to kill me. No… no I can't die. My story, my tragedy it isn't over!

Then the monster took a step.

A splitting noise jarred her and she scrambled back. "NO STOP!"

 _"You… killed him!"_

Her back slammed against the wall. "PLEASE—"

 _"DIE!"_

Blow after blow rained down, magic sliced her skin open, black blood oozed from the wounds and fire burned her skin. Boils appeared and shifted. Pain ripped through her and she screamed in pure, unadulterated agony.

"PLEASE STOP! STOP! DON'T KILL ME! STOP I BEG!"

"Ven stop! Stop enough!"

"That's enough!"

"Please stop!"

The magic thickened and pain ripped through her, she was slammed against the wall and slumped, all life draining from her limbs. The pain continued but she no longer had the strength to scream.

But then suddenly, as suddenly as it started, the barrage stopped. She sobbed and writhed on the ground in pain, gasping and gagging. A hand wrapped around her neck, scraping her against the rocks as she was dragged up.

"Enough Ven…"

My savior…

She dared to looked up. The mother stood behind the girl. The girl's eyes… like orbs of pure magic… and tears fell from those orbs.

"She is defeated. There is no reason to go any further, he's—-"

"Yes, listen to her! Please." She realized her mistake as the black and white eyes snapped right back to her.

Her eyes widened and she coughed. "Please…" she croaked. "Don't… kill me…" She gasped again. "Please… I'll… do anything…!"

 _"Anything?"_

Those eyes…

She felt liquid trickle down her cheeks… blood.

"Anything in the entire universe."

Time stood still.

The hand loosened and hope, if one so rotten as her could even comprehend the emotion, spread through her chest. Maybe… just maybe… even monsters could feel pity. Maybe this monster would let her go. She could survive… just as she always had.

Those terrifying eyes of the monster looked at her as though staring into her soul… and the glow faded, the magic pulsing on the monsters skin fading with it until it was just her.

The monster. The girl. Ven.

The mismatched eyes, full of tears, the eyes of a child broken and shattered like glass, they stared at her as though seeing into her very soul.

Then they narrowed.

The tears on its cheeks tricked to her chin… and dropped.

"Anything," she repeated desperately.

"Then you can burn in hell."

The witch's eyes widened in horror as fire roared up around her.

"AAAAHH—"

 _Nothing._

 **Chapter 13:** **Dare To Believe…**

 _Peter… my Peter my trickster… she killed him. He's dead. She killed him._

"Then you can burn in hell."

Not the magic, not the power, her. Just her. She killed the witch. Ven the Lost Girl.

She stared impassively as flames roared up around them, consuming the hated witch until she was nothing. Until not even ashes remained.

She stood still and silent, the tears falling hot and fast from her impassive face as the flames continued to burn around her.

"Ven please…"

The voice caused her to turn, just slightly, to look over her shoulder.

 _Regina… mother. Emma, Rumple, Hook…_ They stared at her in shock and… and fear.

She looked down at herself, at the flames around her feet, the magic in her hands and the power that was held in the half-heart nestled within her chest.

 _Monster…_ She was a… monster? Had she always known it? _"I killed a man…"_ The monster inside her… hidden away… She had always known it. She was a monster. She looked down at her hand, then clenched her fist.

 _I. Am. A monster._

"Ven…"

Her eyes widened and her heart stopped.

 _That… voice…_ Dare she believe it? _He…_ She slowly raised her eyes.

"Hah…"

There he stood. Injured and bleeding, burns on his arms and cuts on his face but _alive_. He was alive. But… she looked down. _I am a monster._

"Ven." All of the sudden he was right there, standing right in front of her.

"You're alive," she whispered, her voice breaking. She raised her hand, then hesitated, her gaze lowering. _I am_ —

"Beautiful." Her eyes widened. "You are beautiful," he whispered. His hands were warm and tender as they caressed her face. "My beautiful beautiful lost girl." He smiled, the smile that made her heart beat faster, had it always done that? The smile that made the world seem alright.

"But I'm…" she swallowed.

"I love you," he said before she could continue. "Forever and always… I love you."

Tears filled her eyes and fell, but these were not the same as the ones from mere moments ago. Gone were the tears of sorrow and anger.

"I love you too."

Silence.

"Oh bloody hell, mate will you just kiss the girl already?" Hook's voice rang out.

They laughed, Peter leaned forward… and did just that.

* * *

Ven sighed and leaned back, tilting her face towards the sky. She and Peter sat against the wall of the pit while the others stood towards the middle of the pit. It had only been about ten minutes since the battle ended, they hadn't even left Neverland's center yet. Everyone was in something of a shock from the battle.

Peter's fingers were entwined with her own, his hands warm and comforting. He was here with her. Alive.

"I can't believe we both survived," she remarked.

"I can't believe that only days ago I was going to kill you."

She rolled her eyes and elbowed him lightly. "Way to ruin the moment Pan."

Peter suddenly stood, his aura becoming grim. She looked up.

"Peter?" Then she looked to see Rumple approaching. She climbed to her feet, resisting the weakness in her limbs. She could feel the exhaustion pressing down on her.

"What do you want?" Peter asked.

"Well y'see we still haven't been able to figure out what to do with you two," Rumple said. "I mean you did almost kill a few of us."

His eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get a word out the ground shook and a loud boom rent the air.

"What's that?"

"Earthquake?"

"Everybody down!"

She gasped, blinking rapidly. _What… is this feeling?_ She pressed a hand to her chest. _It's like… it's like I'm… I'm hurting. My chest…_

"Urrgh…"

She snapped back to attention in time to see Peter crumble to his knees, his hands scrabbling at his chest as though something was hurting him.

"Peter?! Peter what's wrong?"

He held up a hand, making her halt. "Don't… come… near." He groaned in pain, then gasped for breath.

"What's happening?" Regina asked as she and Emma came running up.

"What's going on with Pan?"

A loud rumbling sounded and the ground shook. Peter's eyes suddenly snapped open wide, then he gasped and collapsed.

"Peter!" She lurched forward and caught him. "Peter wake up-urgh!" She groaned, hunching as a pain thudded in her chest and spread outward.

"What's happening?!"

"We have to get out of here!"

Her eyes widened in realization. "Oh no…"

"What is happening Ven?" Regina asked.

She struggled to her feet, pulling Peter up with her, his arm slung over her shoulders. "We have to… get out of here," she panted. "Mim… tore apart the stability of Neverland's magic." She leaned against the wall. "The magic… it's tearing itself apart." Bright spots appeared in her vision. "Damn. Everyone form a chain," she gasped out.

"What why—"

"NOW!" she screamed, forcing magic into her words. _Damn you Mim… you won't win._ It was almost as if she could hear the witch's echoing laughter. "Form a… chain." They obeyed, compelled by urgency and her magic.

 _"_ _You can't escape,"_ the echo said. _"You'll never escape me."_

"We'll see about that." She grabbed Regina's hand. "Hang in there Peter," she murmured. An image formed in her mind. _Move!_

The landscape around them blinked out and they appeared on a wooden deck, she instantly collapsed on the deck, her vision blacking in and out.

"Ven? Ven talk to me?"

 _Voice? Who's voice._

"Have to… leave… we… have to leave… now…"

Then everything faded completely.

* * *

 **Whew... what a rollercoaster.** **Well... Mim is dead Neverland is collapsing and our hero may just have died. Ouch. Although it's kinda just another weekday for me, hehe. Stay tuned for the next chapter of Child of the Lost!**

 **There aren't many left...**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello readers! I am actually not a month late this time! There are not many chapters left... wow.**

 **Thank you to VicaJoy for reviewing! I really love getting reviews, I think most people do. Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 14:** **Home?**

Emma collapsed on the steps of the _Jolly Roger_ as they rose higher and higher into the air. The Shadow had been destroyed when Ven killed Mim so it was a palpable relief to all parties involved when the pix crystal, aided by Tink, rose them aloft into the dark sky of Neverland.

She glanced down on the crumbling island, she could feel the unstable magic sparking against her skin. Ven had just barely teleported them to the ship before an explosion ripped through the core of the island. It had been hell and high water to escape before they were torn to shreds. There was no doubt about it, Ven was incredible. Even after taking such a beating, regaining her magic and killing one of the most powerful magic users ever Ven saved them once again.

But, after taking such heavy stress her body was in shock. At least, that was how Gold explained it. Apparently magic users sometimes over used their magic, or used magic that was too powerful for their human bodies to handle, when something like that happened, depending on the degree of magic, the body would shut down. Gold guessed that that was probably what made Ven pass out, same with Pan, though it was difficult to say since Gold, the most magically informed of all of them, knew very little about Neverland.

Both Ven and Pan were currently unconscious lying in separate cabins of the _Jolly Roger_ , safe, but exhausted and drained of power.

She sighed and closed her eyes as the wind pulled at her hair. She knew so little about magic, apparently there were loads of magic theories and studies and, well, sometimes it just made her head hurt.

"Mom!"

She practically leapt up at the voice and unwittingly allowed a broad smile to spread over her face. She opened her arms and held him tightly.

"Henry!" she exclaimed. "You're awake!"

He nodded. "Yup!" He hugged her back just as tightly, but then he pulled away, his eyes lowering. "Mom…"

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry." He looked up. "I should have listened to you… they… I'm sorry."

She brushed his hair away from his face. "I forgive you, as long as you're safe." She kissed his forehead, then hugged him again. "I love you kiddo."

"I love you too mom."

"Oh and by the way, Peter and Ven basically saved all of us."

…

"WHAT?!"

* * *

Regina sat silently next to the bed as Ven slept, her chest rose up and down steadily, her black hair splayed over the pillow. Black and white. There were two streaks of pure white in her daughter's hair, remnants of the pain she'd been through.

"My baby," she whispered. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry." She brushed hair away from her face. "We're almost home Ven."

"Regina." She looked up. Emma stood in the doorway. "We need to talk."

She stood, then, casting a final glance at her daughter, exited the room.

"Come on. Everyone is gathered in the galley," Emma said.

She nodded and followed. "Pan is still sleeping?"

"Yes, Henry as well. The lost boys are all in the forecastle, some sleeping or just waiting," Emma replied. "Tink is with them."

They arrived at the galley and entered to find Rumple, Snow, David, Neal and Hook waiting for them.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Everyone was silent for a moment, then Neal spoke.

"We're going to figure out what to do with Peter and Ven."

She scoffed. " _Do_? We don't _do_ anything, they saved us all."

"They were also the ones that kidnapped Henry, tricked him into almost dying and almost got all of us killed," David said.

"But—"

"Listen Regina, Ven is incredibly dangerous," Rumplestiltskin said. "You saw how she obliterated Mim, who is-was-one of the most powerful beings in the universe-"

"So what? She did it to save us—"

"No she didn't," Rumple said. "She did it out of anger. She thought Mim killed her lover so she killed Mim. Simple as that."

"Why is she so important to you Regina?" Snow asked.

Her eyes narrowed, then she sighed. "Ven is my daughter."

"What?!"

"What are you talking about?"

"No way!"

"Daniel and I…" she hesitated. "Ven is the daughter of myself and Daniel, the man I once loved. I lost her when she was just a baby. Apparently it was Mim that orchestrated all of it, sent Ven back in time to London and then got Peter involved and… well, there you have it, the uncomplicated version anyway."

There was silence. No one knew what to say. Some weren't so surprised by it, Emma wasn't, clearly.

"That doesn't change the fact of the matter," Neal said. "They almost killed Henry and very nearly did kill me."

Regina bit her lip hard. Henry. Her son. They almost killed her son. But Ven was...

"They saved us..."

"We all saved us."

"But without Ven she would have defeated us."

"If it wasn't for them than Mim would have never been drawn into the equation."

"We would have all been safe."

"That's enough!"

Regina looked up in surprise at Emma.

"Can you hear yourselves talking?" Emma shook her head in disbelief. "Listen, how many here screwed up? Regina was the _Evil Queen_ , Hook is a pirate that's been trying to kill Rumple for forever! Snow killed Cora, Rumplestiltskin, well, I'm pretty sure you've tried to kill or injure everyone in this room at least once!"

"Your point please dearie," Rumple said blandly.

"My point is that you've all had second chances. And more than that you've had them without having to save over fifty people! My point is that they deserve a second chance."

There was silence, guilt being a primary emotion sensed.

"All those in favor of giving the King and Queen of Neverland a second chance?" Hook said, raising a hand.

Regina raised her hand. Then Emma. Then Snow followed by David, then Rumple with a sigh and a roll of his eyes.

Everyone looked at Neal.

"Pan's minions almost killed me and imprisoned me but more importantly both almost killed my son," Neal said obstinately.

"Well you ditched me and left me in prison," Emma pointed out.

Neal winced, but didn't back down. "Look, we may have all screwed up, but none of us have ever had the power to destroy a Dark Sorceress."

That quickly restored the animosity, they fell silent, the truth behind Neal's words hung over everyone. He was right. Ven had the Heart of Truest Belief, a coveted magic that no one knew the limits of. Judging by her performance with Mim it was safe to say that she had regained her full power.

"But—"

"Listen Regina, Neal is right," Rumple said. "We can't let them run free. Now that Mim is gone there really is no telling what they'll do." Her jaw tightened.

"Just give us an hour, at most," David said quickly. "We'll restrict her power, then talk to her to try and gauge what they want so that none of us die in the negotiations."

"Look, they only wanted to separate Henry and Ven's magic, that was all, they succeeded," Regina said. "What more could they possibly want from us?"

Rumple sighed in exasperation. "Well if you haven't noticed, neither of them particularly like me, in fact, dare I say, it wouldn't be far fetched to say that they may want to kill me."

"Well that isn't our problem," Regina snapped.

It was Emma's turn to snap. "Regina! I… don't like the idea of holding them captive, but you have to concede that both are very dangerous." Emma paused, looking torn. "We… we have to think about Storybrooke, think about Henry. We want them to be safe, and if that means restricting their magic to be safe when we talk to them then that's what we'll do." Emma looked away, as though she resented her own words. Regina knew that Emma had become somewhat softer towards Ven following the team-up, perhaps because of their similar situation in terms of parents, whatever the case she recognized the look of discomfort on the blonde's face.

Henry. Henry almost died. After a long moment Regina released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Alright," she murmured. For Henry. "But if you hurt her I swear—"

"No one's hurting anyone," David cut in. "That's the point of the restriction."

She nodded. "Good. Then let's get this over with."

* * *

 **Yes I know it's short, yes I'm going to post soon. We're almost done!**

 **Stay tuned...**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey guys! I'm not late, no I am not. Here we are people, May 11 2017, exactly two years after the publishing of the first chapter of Lost Girl.**

 **And so welcome wonderful readers... to the last chapter of Child of the Lost. That's right, last chapter.**

 **It's been a fun ride, I really hope you guys have enjoyed it as much as I have. So without further adeue...**

* * *

 **Chapter 15:** **Together**

 _"_ _Hey Peter?"_

 _"_ _Yes Ven?"_

 _"_ _Will you stay with me… just a little longer…? Please?"_

 _"…_ _as long as you need."_

 _Once upon a time…_ Consciousness coaxed her from sleep gently, pulling like gravity underwater as her thoughts floated in a haze. _I'm… alive…_ Alive. What a beautiful word. It was so small, yet it held so much meaning… _Alive… what happened?_ She breathed deeply. _What happened?_ She'd been… in a canyon? A waterfall… Neverland. Yes. She was on Neverland. But what…?

 _"…_ _My beautiful tragedy…"_

 _"_ _PETER!"_

Her eyes snapped open and she bolted up. "Peter!" Peter was… he was dead… but he wasn't… what happened… Neverland? She scanned the room wildly. "What hap…" she trailed off, her gaze slowly falling to her wrist.

Or more accurately, to the black leather band that encircled it.

"Ven?"

She looked up at the voice, Regina stood a short ways away, uncertainty in her eyes.

"Regina… where's Peter?" she asked quietly, regaining control over her emotions. "Is he alright? Where is he?"

"Peter is fine," Regina said gently. "Be careful, you severely overused your magic so you're still weak—"

"I'm on the _Jolly Roger_?" she interrupted. Regina nodded. She glanced out the window and was met only with blue sky. She opened her mouth to ask another question but at that moment the door opened.

She glanced up, then her eyes narrowed as Rumplestiltskin entered the room, followed closely by Emma, David, Snow, Baelfire and Hook.

"Looks like the whole gang is here," she said coldly, clutching the covers tightly, hyper-aware of the band around her wrist.

David and Emma stepped forward. "We need to know a few things," Emma said carefully. "They pertain to… to you and Peter."

She cocked her head, then swung her legs over the side of the bed (ignoring the way they all tensed like scared rabbits) and stood to be on equal ground with them. Or… equal deck?

"Then speak," she said, raising her chin even as she analyzed her situation. She wasn't wearing her normal clothing, instead she was wearing strange loose pants that synched at the waist and ankles like the ones in middle-east of the Enchanted Forest and a sleeveless shirt of a thin material. More like an undergarment than a real shirt, like the one she'd seen Emma wear before. It was probably a modern style type garment. She had missed several decades after all. There were no shoes on her feet, not that she wore them much on Neverland either.

The room they were in was relatively large with a bed, dressers, chests and various other unimportant articles. There were no weapons that she could see aside from the ones that her confronters bore.

"We need to know your and Pan's intentions," David said, staying a good distance away. "Who's side are you on?"

"What sides are you referring to?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. She smirked. "Light? Dark? Good or evil?" She raised her chin in a condescending way. "Please… there is no line."

"Just think of it like this," Rumple said, stepping in. "Are you with us or against us?"

"Before I answer that, answer me this." She held up her hand and pointed to the band. "Why is there a magic restriction band on me?"

Regina shifted uncomfortably and Snow answered.

"It's just a precaution."

She chuckled. "Oh dear, are the fearless heroes _afraid_ of little old me?" Her eyes flicked to Regina, who, surprisingly, met her gaze levelly, then to Emma, David, Rumple, Hook and the others… they all looked away. "Just as I thought," she murmured.

She took a step forward and David tensed, mirroring the action of everyone else but, perhaps, Emma and Regina.

She grinned. "You are afraid."

"Who's side are you on?" Rumple repeated, stepping forward, his hand loose at his side. "Answer the question _deary_."

"There are no sides," she replied. "I saved your lives, all of you." She tilted her head. "Don't you think you should thank me and not lock my magic?" she hissed.

David and Snow glanced at each other and Regina's expression clearly said 'told you so'. She took another step.

"Answer the bloody question Ven," Hook said with a sigh. He was less nervous than the others, but she could still see that his hand rested on the sword at his hip.

She turned and walked towards the porthole, ignoring the way they watched every one of her movements like she was going to explode at any moment. She turned and leaned against the wall, spreading her palms wide.

"What do you want from me?" she asked. "An ally?" She looked at them pityingly. "Look elsewhere. I'm no ally of yours."

 _You still saved them_.

"Then what do you expect us to do with you?" David asked, slightly bewildered.

She shrugged, examining her nails. "Leave us alone. Peter and I will leave, you and your friends can return to little ol' Storybrooke and Peter and I are left in peace."

"But wait Ven," Emma began but Baelfire cut in.

"You expect us to let someone like you go?"

"Neal-!"

She looked up, slowly straightening. "Oh Baelfire…" She pierced him with her gaze. "Or _Neal_ as you now call yourself… you don't 'let' me do anything," she said with a smile. "You simply aren't powerful enough."

"Ven stop," Regina cut in. "He's wrong. We never discussed keeping you and Peter prisoners."

"You couldn't anyway," she replied, the leather chaffed her skin. _You let them do this to me?_

 _"_ _Monster."_

She glanced down at her hands. _Can I blame you?_

"Careful witch," Rumple murmured. His grating voice pulled her from her thoughts and she leveled her gaze at the imp.

"Why?" she asked cheekily.

"Because right now you're the one without magic," he hissed at her, despite the admonishment from his 'team'.

She stared at him a moment, then grinned darkly. "…without… magic…?" She took a step forward, then another. "Did you… really think you could restrain me with _this_?" She raised her hand and the cuff literally turned to ashes. They all gasped. "Peter made that cuff," she said softly. "Mim gave him his power and…" her eyes narrowed. "I _killed_ Mim." She took another step. "Is that what you want? Death?"

"I'm glad to see you're still you."

The voice made her freeze. The power that had been building in her dissolved and she couldn't help the smile of relief that stole across her face. The people before her turned to see Peter. He was clearly injured, bandages on his arms and head… but he was alive.

"Hey…" she greeted quietly.

A sigh made her turn to Regina.

"That's enough." The raven-haired woman turned towards the door. "This is nonsense. If Ven wanted any of us dead it would have happened a long time ago."

"Hey Ven, Peter."

The two looked to Emma. The blonde smiled slightly.

"Thank you."

"Listen here Swan—"

"They saved our lives Gold," Emma interrupted. "If they don't want to fight us then we don't want to fight them. It's as simple as that."

After a moment David nodded and turned to them. "Do you want to fight."

 _"_ _Monster."_

She looked away, rubbing her arm. "No… I just want to be alive."

She felt warm fingers touch her own and her and Peter's hands intertwined. Peter turned to Emma.

"Well, Emma and company, you heard her. We don't want to fight. Not anymore." He glanced at her. "We had our reasons on Neverland but those reasons are either accomplished or null and void. We just want to be left in peace."

 _Peace…_ the word was a foreign concept. _Does that mean that… once we reach the mainland… we can… be together… be happy?_ She looked up at Peter. _Happy together?_

"We'll figure something out for you two," David said uncertainly. She smiled slightly. _There's not much they can do about it._

Shortly thereafter Emma and Regina managed to usher the others out despite argument. It was clear that the matter was not quite resolved, but Ven had confidence it would be soon, one way or another. Once it was just Regina, Emma, Ven and Peter Emma turned to her.

"We're headed for Storybrooke," Emma said. "We'll be there soon so you might want to get some rest."

"One thing," Peter cut in before she left. "The Lost Boys?"

"They're all fine and safe," Emma replied. "Although Felix visited you several times Peter."

She smiled. _Felix. Always so loyal_. She looked at Emma. _She called Peter by his name… so did Regina… what does that mean?_

"When you're ready there's food to be had," Emma said as a parting, then headed for the door. "See you in a while."

The door closed, leaving Regina, Ven and Peter.

"Storybrooke is big enough for you two to stay," Regina said suddenly, sending a jolt of surprise through her. She turned towards Regina.

"What?"

Regina nodded. "You heard me. You should stay. I know there's animosity but… well, it all works out eventually. I once poisoned Snow and look at us now."

Peter chuckled. "Not to mention the family tree."

Both Regina and Ven groaned. "Let's not think about that."

"We'll think about it, staying I mean," Ven said, closing the discussion.

Regina hesitated at the door, looking as though she wanted to say more, but then after moment she said 'see you later' and exited the room.

"A non-violent solution," Peter mused, then smiled at her. "I guess there really is a first time for everything."

She returned the smile. "I know…" She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a kiss. He met her kiss whole-heartedly, hugging her to him tightly. It had been so long since they'd been able to do such a thing, before there had been barriers behind their stolen kisses and whispered affection, barriers and lies. But now there was nothing in their way.

They broke apart at the same time, resting their foreheads against the other.

"W-we're going to Storybrooke," Peter said quietly. His eyes looked distant. "We're leaving… we've left…" She smiled. He was going to go into shock at this rate. "Neverland…" he trailed off again.

"You're free," she whispered. She kissed him again. "You're free Peter, you can do whatever you want, there's no demon holding you back now… none at all. You can do whatever you like."

He gazed at her. "I'd very much like to kiss you lost girl."

She smirked. "Then for Neverland's sake kiss me."

He grinned and obliged teasing her lips gently, growing until it became fiery and passionate like the first time. He picked her up, his arms gentle and strong, and carried her to the bed. But as they lay down, as his tongue flicked against her neck, she felt a jolt run through her as her eyes came to rest on the bandages that covered various parts of his body. He paused and halted, noticing her reaction.

"Ven?"

She curled up, closing her eyes.

 _"_ _PETER!"_

"I don't… I don't want that to ever happen again." A lump formed in her throat.

"Ven…" She felt his arms around her, she felt the tears slide down her cheeks, and she felt the same pain as an image flashed through her head.

 _"_ _Monster."_

She relished in his embrace, desperate for comfort as tears came out.

"I'm tired," she whispered. "I'm so tired." She slowed her breathing, brushing away her tears. She slowly reached up and gently touched his cheek. He leaned into her touch.

She had never truly been happy, not in London and not on Neverland. She was tired of it, tired of fighting, tired of dying. All she wanted was to be happy with the one person she truly loved with every part of her entire being. It had been so long, so many years of lies and difficulty, of secret plans and doomed love, but finally... _finally_ they could be together.

But she was scared. She was scared that what they had would end in tragedy. When Mim almost killed him... she felt like her heart was being torn to shreds and in a way, it was, and she knew that she never ever wanted that to happen again.

"I don't want to fight anymore Peter," she murmured. "I just want to be happy... with you." She looked up. "Is that possible? Is it possible for us to be happy together after everything we've done to each other?"

He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "We know each other Ven. We've both seen every side of each other, we've seen the darkness, tasted it, shared it, we've looked into the abyss and crawled out again, and we've done all of that together." He brushed hair from her eyes lovingly. "I love you. I know it won't be easy, and I know that it won't be perfect, but I also know that I want to be the best person I can for you."

She smiled. "I'm not the easiest person to love you know."

He chuckled. "Well neither am I, but I'm sure we'll manage."

She sighed slightly, closing her eyes. "Peter?"

"Hmm?"

She snuggled into his chest. "Can we stay like this for a while?" she murmured. "Just... like this?"

She could hear the smile in his voice as he replied. "Your wish is my command."

 _Happy together…_ They could… they could now. They could do anything they wanted. Mim was gone, she knew who she was, Peter wasn't cursed anymore. They could go anywhere, be anything… _anyone._ She smiled.

 _And we can do it all together._

* * *

 **There you have it folks! Last chapter of Child of the Lost is complete! I would really appreciate a review, especially since this is the last chapter, and I would love to hear some feedback on the story. I've put a lot of work into this and broken through a lot of writer's blocks for it, it'll be the first full-length book+sequel I've completed on fan fiction and I'm really excited about it so please review!**

 **Side note, I will be posting an epilogue to sort of... wrap up the story, so make sure to come back for that one too!**

 **See ya next time!**


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